I love a quality takeoff shot so I’ll put up with a less than ideal perch before the bird launches.
1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Yesterday morning on Antelope Island this Western Meadowlark allowed me a close approach but at first it was wary of me so it crouched slightly as if it was prepared to take off if it had to. The bird was facing slightly away from me so I had little chance of getting a pleasing takeoff shot if it chose to launch because butt shots generally have little appeal for me.
To add to my woes, this time of year the dead vertical stems from last year often make sagebrush an aesthetically challenged perch so I didn’t have high hopes of getting anything special from this bird. But soon the meadowlark relaxed a little and when it eventually…
1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
did a near-180 on the perch my chances of getting a quality takeoff shot or two improved dramatically. I removed my teleconverter to give me more room in the frame for takoff and waited to see if I’d get lucky.
Birds larger than sparrow-sized generally prefer to launch into the wind and I believe this one turned specifically so it could take off into the breeze.
1/4000, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in
Which is exactly what it eventually did. A bird taking off from sagebrush often gives me the best of both worlds – a natural perch which I strongly prefer and the bird is usually separated enough from all those dead stems that they don’t block our view of the bird or dilute the aesthetics of the image.
I like this photo quite a lot – there’s good light on the bird, the pose appeals to me, I have a clean background that isn’t homogenous blue sky, the perch is a natural one and I had enough shutter speed to get the meadowlark plenty sharp enough.
And those problematic dead stems are blocking very little of our view of the meadowlark.
Ron
Such a great series of one of my favorite birds! I enjoy the dialogue along with your terrific photos.
Thanks on both counts, LS.
In the first shot, I really, really like the way the Meadowlark is almost snuggled into the sagebrush.
And I also really, really like that you got a shot that pleases your picky self.
Yup, to each his own, EC! Thank you.
Simply stunning stuff Ron. Hopefully you’ll be able to get similar images with one of your nemesis species sometime soon as well. Although it’d look nice atheistic wise, I can imagine that a sagebrush bush would be too small for a Golden eagle though. Once again, great shots!
I’ve seen Golden Eagles on sagebrush several times, Xavier. It could happen…
Nice photos. Love the take off one but I also really like the one wh3ere he’s just sitting on the sage brush and all the tips are touching his feathers. Thanks for explaining your thought processes while you are working. It makes me think more about focal length when I’m taking photos. Although I don’t have a 500 mm lens with TC so my problem is usually I am too far away 😉
Joanne, enough optical “reach” is usually the biggest obstacle in bird photography. And the most expensive one to overcome.
This is a gorgeous bird, and I think that because the bird is so brightly colored, the dead stems don’t bother me in any of the photos (except maybe the first one). I’m glad you found a cooperative bird.
Thanks, Susan. Cooperative birds have been hard to come by recently.
Your photography is excellent and your explanations are great. Please continue as you have. I’m old but love learning and reading.
I’m old too, Betty – maybe that has something to do with it… 🙂
Love both shots, but especially the second in full tske off position….and, most of all, the grey, flannel britches…
Thanks, Patty. The do look like gray flannel…
Love your description of how you get your shots as much as your pictures 😁 I had a little free time yesterday to go take look at how our baby Bald eagles are doing. The rattlesnakes cut that hike short❗️We’re having a bumper chop of them this year. I’ll try again this weekend.
Hope you also have a great weekend
“Love your description of how you get your shots as much as your pictures”
That’s good to know, Diana. I sometimes wonder if readers would prefer that I cut to the chase and spend less time (or no time) describing how I got the shots.
Well this reader appreciates it😜
I never thought of Meadowlarks as being large and heavy before. You made me take a second (and closer) look, Teech! 😃 Now I’m noticing that’s a fairly chunky body relative to the wing size. I love it when I’m able to clear up a misconception I have.
Compared to a sparrow they’re quite large, Marty. That makes them a little slower at takoff so it’s easier to keep them in frame when they launch.
Fabulous capture.
Thanks, Arwen.
Love the takeoff and you were ready for it. Nice photos Ron. Pretty bird and love their loud and always recognizable call. Enjoy the weekend.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Yup, I was “ready for it”, Everett. But as you know, being prepared often isn’t enough for takeoff shots because birds are so fast at launch. Meadowlarks being a relatively large and heavy species gave me a bit better chance and this time things worked out.
Nice! Even with dead “stuff” from last year it works…….. Perhaps it’s the time of year but the meadowlarks I see here seem to have a much paler yellow coloring?
Judy, I see much variation in the intensity of the yellow. Females and juveniles are less strongly marked.
Really like it! That background is the perfect compliment for the bird… 🙂 I tend to prefer colors to blend rather than contrast. This looks exactly like the Eastern MeadowLark we have here…I’ve read where the only difference is their song; for me the song is an announcement of the new… I’ve found them to be very wary birds; they give you a certain space but do not approach beyond that.
I like that background a lot too, Kathy. It’s largely the soft gray-green of the sagebrush back there and in this situation I think it works out very well.