I think if you're going to attempt a shot like this James, then you need to approach it with a completely different thought process. From a compositional perspective, the pole is far too central in the frame and there is little going on to interest the viewer.
If you were to shoot a similar photo, then wait for a time when the sky adds a good backdrop to the photo. Unfortunately, the greyness has only made the shot look very dull.
Imagine the same shot now with the pole a bit further over to the left of the frame with a setting sun or a nice blue sky with bright clouds behind it. Then add a bit more interest, maybe the bird about to land on the pole, or a few more birds on the wire in silhouette and cropped to a panoramic format.
Hope that helps a bit mate, keep up the efforts