That first one is a real cutie, and the Snowy is quite nice also.
I know many may not like this advice, but we use flash even in bright sunlight, (as do many wildlife photographers, especially avian). It would have filled in that Snowy Owls shaded areas quite nicely, and brought out some detail. If you are looking at mostly wildlife/birds then an investment in a Better Beamer or similar flash extender would be one of your best cheap investments, along with a light softener such as Gary Fong Lightsphere, for closer shots.