Close up of an early spring Western Meadowlark – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This close up of a Western Meadowlark was taken nearly two years ago on Antelope Island State Park while the bird foraged on the ground. The snow in that area had melted and I could just barely see some fresh, green shoots of new grass poking out of the soil along with the tiny, red unfurling leaves of red-stem filaree that grows among the grasses on the island. The sun was welcome after many gray winter days.
The “human” calendar still said it was winter but the meadowlark and its behavior told me it was early spring. There were times when the meadowlark seemed to be attempting to hold itself back from calling out in song but a soft “chup” would escape from its bill anyway. These birds don’t care about our calendars or the time of year or day that we proclaim it to be, they know by instinct and hormones when it is the best time to start calling out to attract a mate.
Life is good. The weather here isn’t, but life is.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Western Meadowlark photos plus facts and information about this species.
Spellbinding and beautiful. A good-looking guy like that should be on the cover of GQ. Great pic Mia.
Lovely. Lovely. Lovely.
Thanks for the picture and information on the Western Meadowlarks. I love to see them, but they are so fast, never get a picture of them. I did not know they might have two mates at a time. Oh my gosh!
I so miss the song of the Meadowlark. I grew up in Sunnyvale, California (now called silicon valley). Back in the early/middle 1950s there were no computer companies. It was mainly apricot, cherry, and pear orchards with open fields and farmland. Meadowlarks, red-winged blackbirds, and pheasants were everywhere. Now of course, ALL GONE.
Ohhh, I am terribly envious.
All the Western Meadowlarks that I’ve encountered seem to have boundary issues and most of my pictures are a flash of yellow in a field of green.
I think some sort of blind would probably work best for me because as soon as they see movement, they are off like a shot.