{"id":45579,"date":"2017-03-15T05:44:24","date_gmt":"2017-03-15T11:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=45579"},"modified":"2025-12-13T06:53:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T12:53:33","slug":"western-meadowlarks-are-very-active-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/15\/western-meadowlarks-are-very-active-right-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Meadowlarks Are Very Active Right Now – They Know Spring Has Arrived"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark calling while walking on a rusty sign – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

After a cold and very dreary winter the days are now much warmer, the grasses have begun to turn green, and the bird activity on Antelope Island is starting to pick up.<\/p>\n

Spring migrants are starting to arrive including Say’s Phoebes and Sage Thrashers and I keep expecting to hear the curlews calling over the grasslands.<\/p>\n

The 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.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark perched on Greasewood – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/800, ISO 250, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The population of Western Meadowlarks on the island is increasing as the meadowlarks that migrated slightly further south join the hardier ones that stuck it out through the winter.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark with a caterpillar on bison manure – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/640, ISO 320, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The meadowlarks are finding newly emerged insects and caterpillars to feast on, even poking around or turning over the bison manure might help them find something to eat. They will need all the energy they can get for the breeding season.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark close up – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/640, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

They will sing from the tops of signs, bushes, the ground, or from a rock perch. They have begun to search for a mate to breed, nest, and raise their young.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark in late winter (or early spring) – Nikon D500, f9, 1\/500, ISO 320, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The calendar might say that winter is still here but these Western Meadowlarks<\/span><\/a> know that spring has made its appearance and are taking advantage the longer days, the warmth and the lack of snow on the ground.<\/p>\n

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark wing lift – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m enjoying the warmer weather too and the increasing number of birds on Antelope Island and the rest of northern Utah. It might snow again but it won’t last for long, spring has arrived.<\/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":"

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. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165711,"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":[4004,5730,5729,677,11978,4824,4825,4104,4681,165,4061,4308],"class_list":["post-45579","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-bison-manure","tag-caterpillar","tag-closeup","tag-desert-island","tag-meadowlark","tag-meadowlarks","tag-perched","tag-sign","tag-spring","tag-sturnella-neglecta","tag-western-meadowlark"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-rusty-sign-mia-mcpherson-4809.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-bR9","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":101020,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/25\/western-meadowlark-singing\/","url_meta":{"origin":45579,"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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courtship behaviors in January, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/western-meadowlarks-farmington-bay-wma-mia-mcpherson-3548.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/western-meadowlarks-farmington-bay-wma-mia-mcpherson-3548.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/western-meadowlarks-farmington-bay-wma-mia-mcpherson-3548.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/western-meadowlarks-farmington-bay-wma-mia-mcpherson-3548.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/western-meadowlark-grasshopper-messy-mia-mcpherson-7791.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/western-meadowlark-grasshopper-messy-mia-mcpherson-7791.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/western-meadowlark-grasshopper-messy-mia-mcpherson-7791.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/western-meadowlark-grasshopper-messy-mia-mcpherson-7791.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7832,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/03\/13\/sounds-of-spring-western-meadowlark\/","url_meta":{"origin":45579,"position":3},"title":"Sounds of Spring – Western Meadowlark","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 13, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Normally we have Western Meadowlarks year round here in the Salt Lake Valley but because this past winter was harsh it seemed that they moved south for a bit. They are back now and singing their songs of spring.","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 on a sign post, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-8130.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-mia-mcpherson-8130.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-8130.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-8144.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-mia-mcpherson-8144.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-8144.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14753,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/15\/open-air-concert-of-a-western-meadowlark-singing-from-a-sagebrush\/","url_meta":{"origin":45579,"position":5},"title":"Open Air Concert of a Western Meadowlark Singing from a Sagebrush","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday was a bit like a wonderful open air concert on Antelope Island with the calls of Curlews, Willets, Chukars, Red-winged Blackbirds and Western Meadowlarks floating through the air.","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 from a Sagebrush near the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/western-meadowlark-singing-mia-mcpherson-4524.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/western-meadowlark-singing-mia-mcpherson-4524.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/western-meadowlark-singing-mia-mcpherson-4524.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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