{"id":20222,"date":"2015-02-17T05:15:04","date_gmt":"2015-02-17T12:15:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=20222"},"modified":"2026-01-08T13:24:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T19:24:15","slug":"horned-lark-extreme-close-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/02\/17\/horned-lark-extreme-close-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Horned Lark Extreme Close Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"CloseHorned Lark Extreme Close Up – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Could you guess what bird I photographed just from looking at the extreme close up photo above? I don’t think I could even though I photograph this species quite often.<\/p>\n

Last week I had a male Horned Lark land on a boulder very close to me and I was able to take one image of it before it flew off. I was using DX (cropped) mode on my Nikon D810 and the bird was so close I could not fit it all into the frame.<\/p>\n

I didn’t have time to remove my TC or switch to FX mode.<\/p>\n

When I came home and looked at the image on my screen I was disappointed because the tail was clipped but I blew the image up to 100% and admired the fine feather detail of the lark.<\/p>\n

The image above is a cropped section from that photo shown at 100% resolution and probably shows an area less than an inch wide of the bird.<\/p>\n

I really like how this shows the fine feather detail and structure.<\/p>\n

I am impressed with what the Nikon D810 can do and this Horned Lark extreme close up shows why.<\/p>\n

\"HornedHorned Lark in morning light – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a different Horned Lark<\/span><\/a> taken just a few days before the close up image, they are small songbirds that are acting like it is already spring time.<\/p>\n

I have seen the males chasing each other and singing their little hearts out already. I love to see and hear them.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Horned Lark photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Could you guess what bird I photographed just from looking at the extreme close up photo above?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":166596,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_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":""},"categories":[511,27,1022,436,26],"tags":[4021,4142,4181,3329,1327,6433,2136,2718,4104],"class_list":["post-20222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-horned-larks","category-utah","tag-bird-photography","tag-close-up","tag-eremophila-alpestris","tag-feather-features","tag-horned-lark","tag-lark","tag-larks-2","tag-nikon-d810","tag-perched"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/feather-close-up-mia-mcpherson-2217.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-5ga","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45436,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/10\/male-horned-lark-territorial-behaviors\/","url_meta":{"origin":20222,"position":0},"title":"Male Horned Lark Territorial Behaviors – Tit-for-tat Chases","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 10, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"The most interesting activities I saw yesterday were territorial behaviors and chases between two male Horned Larks in an open area of the park.","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":"Territorial male Horned Lark simulating feeding, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-male-territorial-mia-mcpherson-2371.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-male-territorial-mia-mcpherson-2371.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-male-territorial-mia-mcpherson-2371.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-male-territorial-mia-mcpherson-2371.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37156,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/17\/a-west-desert-horned-lark-in-golden-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":20222,"position":1},"title":"West Desert Horned Lark in Golden Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This West Desert Horned Lark in golden light was taken in the foothills of the Stansbury Mountains of Tooele County on a clear morning last month.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"West Desert Horned Lark female, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-tooele-mia-mcpherson-4051.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-tooele-mia-mcpherson-4051.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-tooele-mia-mcpherson-4051.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-tooele-mia-mcpherson-4051.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":35643,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/02\/17\/a-female-horned-lark-on-a-february-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":20222,"position":2},"title":"Female Horned Lark on a February morning","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 17, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I took a few images of a Horned Lark male singing on Antelope Island State Park and it reminded me that I hadn't posted this image of a female Horned Lark that I photographed last year.","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":"Female Horned Lark on a February morning on Antelope Island State Park, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/horned-lark-female-mia-mcpherson-1021.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/horned-lark-female-mia-mcpherson-1021.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/horned-lark-female-mia-mcpherson-1021.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/horned-lark-female-mia-mcpherson-1021.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":78945,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/02\/05\/male-female-and-immature-horned-lark-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":20222,"position":3},"title":"Male, Female, and Immature Horned Lark Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 5, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"After photographing this male Horned Lark on Antelope Island three days ago I decided to share a photo of him plus female and immature larks in a single post.","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":"Adult male Horned Lark on a gravel pile, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-adult-male-gravel-pile-mia-mcpherson-0979.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-adult-male-gravel-pile-mia-mcpherson-0979.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-adult-male-gravel-pile-mia-mcpherson-0979.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-adult-male-gravel-pile-mia-mcpherson-0979.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":38035,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/04\/10\/a-startled-horned-lark\/","url_meta":{"origin":20222,"position":4},"title":"Startled Horned Lark","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 10, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"While I was focused on the lark a small bird; presumably a sparrow, zoomed past and I captured an image of a startled Horned Lark who reacted by raising his wings and calling while he moved down the rock a bit.","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":"Startled Horned Lark on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-startled-mia-mcpherson-4255.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-startled-mia-mcpherson-4255.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-startled-mia-mcpherson-4255.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/horned-lark-startled-mia-mcpherson-4255.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9682,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/02\/autumn-horned-lark\/","url_meta":{"origin":20222,"position":5},"title":"Autumn Horned Lark","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Summer has changed to autumn and the behaviors of the Horned Larks that have been seen through the summer but have been difficult to get close to.","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":"Male Horned Lark with an itch. 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