What to buy? Advise please!

[ahab1372]

James,
I can't advise on the macro question. It really depends on what you prefer to shoot more.

Regarding the two zoom lenses I recommend the reviews on this site, they include sample pictures.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

and the ISO crops comparison:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=0&APIComp=0

I considered the non-L as an upgrade to my EF-S 55-250, rented it for a long weekend, and did not see a relevant improvement. It is soft at the long end, and AF and IS is not that much different from the EF-S lens. Build quality did not justify the extra $$ for me, especially because I already had the EF-S.
The 70-300L is great: It's sharp, IS is great, the AF is fast - that will have a huge impact on your keeper rate when shooting wild life. IMO definitely worth the extra money. The 100-400 is older, the IS not as good, but it has the extra 100mm that are very useful for shooting wild life. Sometimes I still think I should have chosen that one, but I also like the shorter retracted length of the 70-300. If you excluded it because of weight and price, the 70-300L is definitely a good choice.