Might have been a bit of luck then, but that's one of the best composed dock shots I've ever seen in Elite. Both my parents are good photographers, my mum was a decent pro, me and my dad are just gifted amateurs, but I know what makes a good picture and why, try your hand with your phone, cos as I say, composition, the 'eye' is very difficult to teach, if not impossible (it kills my Dad that I have a much better eye than him, despite him being far better technically with a camera).
Shooting moving wildlife is a lot more challenging than composing a still, but yeh, why not! Don't be put off if you don't get the results you want from the birds, that will be more technical camera use than composition, start with static stuff and simply be aware where the light is coming from and how it affects the shot. Good luck! If you want a budget camera, pick up a nikon d5200 with teh VR (vibration reduction) lens pack, 55mm and 200mm, it'll take you years to outgrow it and you won't need any other lenses for quite a while either.
