Great going sneak! Like the bucks, all of them!!!!!!!!
These are great examples of where you might try to use the spot metering, or center metering (not matirix which is what you get when you shoot P, or auto mode). The butterflys are perfect for spot metering because they have such a range of color, and they are in the shade. The meter is picking up all the bright background - light gray rocks, bright grass etc - and the camera is trying to balance the light, resulting in underexposed subjects.
You dont what the exposure to be based on all the light, you only want it to use the subject to deturmine the right exposure, so next time change to center metering, or spot and dial in about +.3 compensation (+ for more light, - for less light) and you will get even better results. The backgrounds will be a little over exposed, but the subject will be exposed propertly!
The fish picture is a great example of where to use auto or matrix metering. If you look at that shot, it's front lit and a mix of light and color, the matrix meter will do a perfect job on a subject like that.
Here's a couple of examples of what you shots will look like if you change the metering to suit the light.
Great job, and thanks for the great examples, they are perfect and likely the kinds of light many people encounter when out photographing wildlife!
"Roadless areas, in general, represent some of the best fish and wildlife habitat on public lands. The bad news is that there is nothing positive about a road where fish and wildlife habitat are concerned -- absolutely nothing." (B&C Professor, Jack Ward Thomas, Fair Chase, Fall 2005, p.10).