{"id":34271,"date":"2015-12-19T05:24:49","date_gmt":"2015-12-19T12:24:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=34271"},"modified":"2025-12-13T05:26:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T11:26:15","slug":"western-meadowlark-in-snow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/12\/19\/western-meadowlark-in-snow\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Meadowlark in Snow – Stretching, Preening and Resting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark perched on snow – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I had a great time photographing a Western Meadowlark in snow yesterday on Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a> near the White Rock Bay campgrounds.\u00a0 The meadowlark was perched on one of the snow-covered sagebrush that I photographed and posted here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

It wasn’t as chilly yesterday as it has been recently but the meadowlark seemed to be warming up in the warmth of the sun and it stuck around.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark stretching on snow-covered Sagebrush – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There was another Western Meadowlark nearby but the light on this one was wonderful. After a bit the meadowlark stood up and started to stretch its legs so I knew some action might follow this behavior.<\/p>\n

I locked my focus on the bird and waited for what was to come. I wasn’t sure of the meadowlark was going to take off, preen or simply settle back down on the snow.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark on a puff of snow – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

As the meadowlark began to stretch its wings the snow beneath its feet crumbled a bit which resulted in this goofy, unbalanced pose that I like a lot.\u00a0 There is even bits of snow flying near its neck and past its right wing.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark wing lift – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Western Meadowlark very quickly regained its balance on the puff of snow it was perched on and lifted its wings just slightly above its back…<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark on snow-covered Sagebrush – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Before it settled back down on the snow-covered sagebrush it was perched on. I can’t help but laugh at this image and the other ones I took after the meadowlark settled back down because when it fluffed itself up it looked like the meadowlark had swallowed a tennis ball because it was so round.<\/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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I had a great time photographing a Western Meadowlark in snow yesterday on Antelope Island State Park near the White Rock Bay campgrounds. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165689,"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":[511,27,1022,26,371],"tags":[4004,4824,4825,4019,4156,2817,4057,4050,4093,4826,3964,4061,4308,4135,373],"class_list":["post-34271","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-meadowlark","tag-meadowlarks","tag-preening-2","tag-resting","tag-sage","tag-sagebrush","tag-snow","tag-snow-covered","tag-stretch","tag-stretching","tag-sturnella-neglecta","tag-western-meadowlark","tag-wing-lift","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-snow-mia-mcpherson-8845.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-8UL","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":101020,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/25\/western-meadowlark-singing\/","url_meta":{"origin":34271,"position":0},"title":"Western Meadowlark Singing","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 25, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The song of this Western Meadowlark that I found two days ago on Antelope Island State Park was a wonderful springtime melody that I needed to hear.\u00a0","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 singing in spring, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/western-meadowlark-spring-song-mia-mcpherson-4421.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/western-meadowlark-spring-song-mia-mcpherson-4421.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-6550.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-6550.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-6550.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-6550.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45579,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/15\/western-meadowlarks-are-very-active-right-now\/","url_meta":{"origin":34271,"position":3},"title":"Western Meadowlarks Are Very Active Right Now – They Know Spring Has Arrived","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Western Meadowlarks are very active right now on the island, searching for insects, scurrying through the grasses and singing their hearts out from their favorite perches.","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 calling while walking on a rusty sign, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-rusty-sign-mia-mcpherson-4809.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-rusty-sign-mia-mcpherson-4809.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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The entire island looked glorious and the sunlight caused the snow to sparkle much to my delight.","rel":"","context":"In "American Bison"","block_context":{"text":"American Bison","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/bison\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile White-crowned Sparrows on a snow-covered bush on Antelope Island State Park with the icy Great Salt Lake in the background.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/white-crowned-sparrows-snow-mia-mcpherson-6184.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/white-crowned-sparrows-snow-mia-mcpherson-6184.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/white-crowned-sparrows-snow-mia-mcpherson-6184.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/white-crowned-sparrows-snow-mia-mcpherson-6184.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}