{"id":6828,"date":"2012-12-18T06:42:14","date_gmt":"2012-12-18T13:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=6828"},"modified":"2025-12-12T06:09:37","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T12:09:37","slug":"western-meadowlark-lift-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/12\/18\/western-meadowlark-lift-off\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Meadowlark Lift Off"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"WesternWestern Meadowlark lifting off from a sagebrush – Nikon D300, f6.3, 1\/1250, ISO 640, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in<\/span><\/p>\n

This Western Meadowlark image was taken last month on Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a>. I meant to post it earlier but forgot because I got so busy trying to set up my new computer. Life outside of bird photography does get in the way at times.<\/p>\n

If you have ever tried to photograph a Western Meadowlark in flight or lifting off you probably know they are very fast and that it is a challenge because of their speed.<\/p>\n

I should have bumped my ISO up to get a faster shutter speed when I took this image to freeze the action of the wings but I’ve also grown to appreciate how a touch of blur can add a sense of movement to an image like this. The face, bill, and eye are sharp and in my opinion that is what is most critical.<\/p>\n

I feel fortunate to have the opportunities to photograph Western Meadowlarks here year 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":"

This Western Meadowlark image was taken last month on Antelope Island State Park. I meant to post it earlier but forgot because I got so busy trying to set up my new computer. Life outside of bird photography does get in the way at times. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165603,"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":[4004,4282,4824,4825,519,2817,4057,4061,4308],"class_list":["post-6828","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-lift-off","tag-meadowlark","tag-meadowlarks","tag-nature","tag-sage","tag-sagebrush","tag-sturnella-neglecta","tag-western-meadowlark"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadow-lark-mia-mcpherson-2763.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1M8","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4427,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/02\/16\/another-western-meadowlark-from-today\/","url_meta":{"origin":6828,"position":0},"title":"Another Western Meadowlark From Today","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 16, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I couldn't resist posting another Western Meadowlark image that I created today even though I posted one earlier this morning.","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":"Fluffy Western Meadowlark on Antelope Island SP, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-3837.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-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-3837.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-3837.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/western-meadowlark-fluffy-mia-mcpherson-3837.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6660,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/11\/29\/a-fluffed-up-western-meadowlark\/","url_meta":{"origin":6828,"position":1},"title":"Fluffed Up Western Meadowlark","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This Western Meadowlark was a cooperative subject yesterday morning and allowed a close enough approach to get some frame filling images.","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 blustery winter day, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/western-meadowlark-mia-mcpherson-2165.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/western-meadowlark-flying-mia-mcpherson-7733.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/western-meadowlark-flying-mia-mcpherson-7733.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/western-meadowlark-flying-mia-mcpherson-7733.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/western-meadowlark-flying-mia-mcpherson-7733.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8411,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/05\/22\/western-meadowlark-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":6828,"position":3},"title":"Western Meadowlark In Flight","author":"Mia 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. I've found it difficult to get images of Western Meadowlarks in flight because they move so quickly.","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 in flight, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/western-meadowlark-flying-mia-mcpherson-7525.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/western-meadowlark-flying-mia-mcpherson-7525.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/western-meadowlark-flying-mia-mcpherson-7525.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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Feathers on Friday","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 24, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"It was real slow for bird photography out on Antelope Island this morning but I did get a nice lift off shot from this Western Meadowlark.","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 lifting off from Greasewood, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/western-meadowlark-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-5399.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/western-meadowlark-lift-off-mia-mcpherson-5399.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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