Eastern Meadowlark

Gallery: AvianPosted February 27, 2018294 views4 comments

The meadowlark is certainly one of our most charismatic bird species, both because of its color and its song. It is virtually impossible to differentiate between Eastern and Western Meadowlarks, UNLESS they sing. We had;large flocks of wintering meadowlarks on Jones Alta Vista Ranch in southern Texas, when we were there 10 days ago. Fortunately, I heard an occasional song from the flocks, and they were definitely Eastern Meadowlarks, whose song is less melodious than the Western. I took this image from a ground-level blind on the ranch with a reach equivalent to 1120mm due to the crop-factor of the camera. Canon EOS 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4X III at 700mm, AV exposure f/8 at 1/1250th, ISO 800.

Comments

4 comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on February 27, 2018 at 8:41 PM

Great pose and the ground level blind gave you a great angle.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Shirley Freeman on February 28, 2018 at 9:59 AM

You nailed it, Chuck. They have been showing up in our yard during the winter months, but they are very skittish, and even trying to capture them through the window is difficult. I still haven't got a good capture, and really won't, because I am shooting down on them, but they are one of the prettiest marked birds that come to this area. Great detail in his feathers. Love the low angle that you were able to capture this shot.

Registered on May 27, 2017, 77 Posts, 844 Comments

Comment posted by David Schoen on February 28, 2018 at 1:04 PM

A really fine image with superb point of view.

Registered on November 6, 2006, 1213 Posts, 4587 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on March 2, 2018 at 4:20 AM

Sweet portrait of this rarely photographed eastern meadowlark, from my understanding they much more shy then westerns.

Great pose and complimentary background.

A Beauty!

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments