I am also a former Nikon SLR film cameras user. I gave up serious photography 20 years ago and gave my cameras and all the Nikkor lenses to my son.
I started interesting in bird fhotography again when I saw the Panasonic FZ20 and bought it. As you know the FZ20 was not designed for the job.
I bought the D50 with 80-400VR lens for bird photography and very happy with it. See my gallery @:
http://www.birdforum.net/pp_gallery/....com&password=
I rejected 350D because it does not have spot meter which I consider a must for photographing birds. Canon lenses are not as easily available here in Thailand while I can get any Nikkor lens I want easily. Nikon has their camera manufacturing plant here and give better services.