{"id":15756,"date":"2014-09-03T04:39:40","date_gmt":"2014-09-03T10:39:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=15756"},"modified":"2025-12-12T07:49:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T13:49:17","slug":"leaping-western-meadowlark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/09\/03\/leaping-western-meadowlark\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaping Western Meadowlark"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"LeapingLeaping Western Meadowlark – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve found that getting take off shots of Western Meadowlarks is very challenging and that more often I miss the shot or clip the bird because they move so fast.<\/p>\n

I was ready when I thought this Western Meadowlark was going to take flight but instead the meadowlark took a flying leap towards the ground. I never even saw\u00a0the bird\u00a0open its wings!<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Western Meadowlark photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

PS, for now the Sage Grouse Lek in Morgan County<\/a><\/span> is safe, the zoning request was denied! The landowners will continue to fight I am sure, but every victory deserves to be celebrated!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was ready when I thought this Western Meadowlark was going to take flight but instead the meadowlark took a flying leap towards the ground. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165638,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[511,27,1022,26,371],"tags":[4004,4021,4138,6804,11978,4122,2655,6366,1027,4824,4825,4921,4061,2315,4308],"class_list":["post-15756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","category-western-meadowlarks","tag-adult","tag-bird-photography","tag-boulder","tag-curlycup-gumweed","tag-desert-island","tag-flying","tag-jumping","tag-leap","tag-leaping","tag-meadowlark","tag-meadowlarks","tag-rock","tag-sturnella-neglecta","tag-summer-3","tag-western-meadowlark"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-leaping-mia-mcpherson-2022.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-468","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":17824,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/12\/19\/western-meadowlark-out-leaps-10-lords\/","url_meta":{"origin":15756,"position":0},"title":"Western Meadowlark Out Leaps 10 Lords!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 19, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"I think the 10 Lords A-leaping are hanging up their their shoes after this Western Meadowlark out leaped them!","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Western Meadowlark A-leaping from a rabbitbrush, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-leaping-mia-mcpherson-5753.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-leaping-mia-mcpherson-5753.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday there was a springtime chorus being sung almost every where on Antelope Island and the flute-like melody of the Western Meadowlarks resonated the loudest.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Landing Western Meadowlark, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-landing-mia-mcpherson-2381.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-landing-mia-mcpherson-2381.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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McPherson","date":"May 22, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This Western Meadowlark lifted off from a Sagebrush and I was able to track it and capture this image as soon as it was airborne. 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