Saba, you've done that Pelican very well, and that is the most important part.
I'd clean up a few background and framing related details as follows, so they are effectively my suggestions:
(1) Tilted horizons I have nothing against if they are used as your artistic devices.
(2) Move the bird a bit higher in the frame, i.e., give her enough of an air cushion to fly on.
(3) Have the tip of her bill point to the center of the frame or close to it.
(4) Give some more thought to keeping that boat behind the bird's left wing or discarding it.
(5) As you raise the bird as per (2) above, you should give a consideration to getting rid of the shoreline/sky in the background.
Saba, this is exactly what I had in mind, as pure a BIF shot as one can make, no outside elements and distractions.
I couldn't say which version is "better", and it really doesn't matter what the critics think....in the end, after looking at and evaluating different graphic options, you as the author obviously make the final cut.
