{"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_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"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":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t