For bird photographers, the other convenient aspect to cloudy-day shooting is that it provides some very flattering backgrounds for species perched on bushes. Shadows are minimal.And with the sun behind the clouds, there are no distracting hotspots (dappled sunlight) behind your subjects.
It's handy to use fill flash if you can do so without startling your subject. Appropriately used, it provides "snap" and fills in shadows--particularly useful if you are shooting in mid-day. It also puts a small "catchlight", or bright reflection, in the subject's eye to give it sparkle and depth.
I use a flash extender called a "Better Beamer" that is specially designed for use with long telephotos and zooms. It's easy to use, weighs only a couple of ounces, and fits easily into your camera bag. You can learn more about it here.
How to use flash effectively in the field is a subject worthy of a post all its own...or several. We'll talk about that soon.
Image: Great Egret, St. Augustine. 1/1250 @ f/5.6, ISO 640, Canon 70-200mm IS zoom. Better Beamer set at -2 for flash fill.
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