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Happy Song


Happy Song
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-05-18
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon Eos 300D Digital Rebel, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Theme(s): Yellow Birds [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-01-20 7:12
Viewed: 3499
Points: 36
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
My wife says this bird has a song that sounds so happy, thus the title. This photo was cropped.

Western Meadowlark
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Western Meadowlark
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Icteridae

Genus: Sturnella

Species: S. neglecta
The Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) is a medium-sized blackbird, very similar in appearance to the Eastern Meadowlark.

Adults have yellow underparts with a black "V" on the breast and white flanks with black streaks. The upperparts are mainly brown with black streaks. They have a long pointed bill; the head is striped with light brown and black.

Their breeding habitat is grasslands and prairie, also pastures and abandoned fields, across western and central North America to northern Mexico. Where their range overlaps with the eastern species, these birds prefer thinner, drier vegetation; the two birds generally do not interbreed but do defend territory against each other. The nest is on the ground, covered with a roof woven from grasses. There may be more than one nesting female in a male's territory. The nest is sometimes destroyed by mowing operations with eggs and young in them.

Western Meadowlark will interbreed with the Eastern Meadowlark where their ranges overlap, though their offspring are infertile. [citation needed]

These birds are permanent residents throughout much of their range. Northern birds migrate to the southern parts of the range; some birds also move east in the southern United States.

These birds forage on the ground or in low to semi-low vegetation, sometimes probing with its bill. They mainly eat insects as well as seeds and berries. In winter, they often feed in flocks.

This bird has a flute-like warbled song, unlike the simple whistled call of the Eastern Meadowlark. They were considered to be the same species for some time; the western species, having been overlooked for some time, was given the species name neglecta.

This is the state bird of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming.
shal, obekant, uleko, Tamrock, Argus, peter_stoeckl, Shoot_Score, pvb, Dave, saeedabbasi, lovenature, RAP has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

hi rick,
nice shot,
well composed,nice pov,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • shal Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 256 W: 64 N: 481] (2140)
  • [2007-01-20 7:45]

Hi Rick,
lovely image of this bird,
nice note to follow :)
Cheers :D

  • Great 
  • jossim Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1538 W: 5 N: 2240] (12636)
  • [2007-01-20 7:58]

Superbe oiseau et très bel action avec ce bec grand ouvert.J'aime bien le voir agippé aprèt cette tige.
Merci!
Joseph

Great POV and note. I've done a workshop with some minor changes, I hope you like it.

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3396 W: 172 N: 3310] (10940)
  • [2007-01-20 9:02]

Hello Rick,
Great capture of this beautiful singing Lark, a bit soft on focus but nice lighting and great colours. I like the angle of your shot too. Nice composition!
TFS, Ulla

hi rick!
nice one on a really fine bird!
good composition with nice pov
and dof
well done!

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2007-01-20 9:20]

Hi Rick,
Yes hearing birds singing makes one happy and if it's a happy song, all the better.
So it's nice to have a shot of bird like this Meadowlark singing.
This one is pretty sharp and well presented with a fine singing pose and good lighting,
TFS and best wishes, Ivan

Hello Rick,
can almost hear the song of the lark when looking at this lovely and lively capture. Very nice pose, and well composed.
A little bit of selectice sharpening might be tried on the bird.
Thank you for this refreshing scene of springtime!
With best regards,
Peter

Rick, please add "Decisive Moment" to the categories!
What a great shot! This lark is singing its heart out!

Great inspiration in the middle of miserable winter weather to see this!

I like the composition totally! The lark sitting on that diagonal stalk of dock in seed. Good faded background. Perhaps the contrast can be improved a wee. I will send you my take as I am outa WSs. As always, Jay

  • Great 
  • fiyo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1053 W: 5 N: 3475] (15161)
  • [2007-01-20 12:08]

Great shot,
Lovely detail and colours,nice composition.
Nice work,very well done.

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 385 W: 16 N: 531] (1981)
  • [2007-01-20 12:09]

Hi Rick,
I think you caught a very happy singing bird here. He looks very very nice with the yellow and the spots.
Very nice composition, focus is a bit soft.
TFS Paula

  • Great 
  • badar Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 106 W: 0 N: 160] (785)
  • [2007-01-20 12:25]

H Rick,
This is well done i like the way the bird stands out against the bacckground. Sharp & well presented.
TFS

Badruddin Ali

Hi Rick ,
excellent shot.
great details and nice sharpness.
well composition and colors.
best wishes
Saeed

I think I love the meadowlark song best of all. I remember hearing them all the time in California where I grew up. Here in Oregon I never see or hear them...even though it is honored by being our state bird! You did capture the joy of their song. I like both workshops too.

TFS
Evelynn : )

Hi Rick
Such a nice portrait of this singing Meadowlark. It's a sure sign of summer when you see these beauties. Lighting, composition, colours and detail are excellent.

I have to say the Meadowlark has such a beautiful song. We hear them on our canoe trips on the Red Deer and Milk Rivers. They use to be in Cochrane but with all the new housing, I haven't heard one for a long time.
tfs Janice

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-01-20 23:25]

Hello Rick

This shot has personality.The little meadowlark is singing it's heart out.Nicely composed with lovely colours.Hey is that the old Vancouver Canuck's jersey? lol.Nicely done.TFS

Rob

Hello Rick,
I sure now that your are the owner of a private wild life reserve that you have in your backyard ;) This is a beautiful capture of this little bird that I never saw "in real". I like to see him sing like this, it is beautiful. He seems so happy! I like POV, colors, composition, lightning and exposure. I think that as it for sharpness the WS helps a bit. This is another superb capture with excellent notes. Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • RAP Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2524 W: 345 N: 2373] (7405)
  • [2007-01-22 7:35]

Bella captura Rick por el punto de vista captado, además del encuadre elegido para su presentación.
La correcta iluminación colabora con la visión nítida y colorida del ave y su entorno.
Personalmente la versión que mejor resultado obtuvo fue el workshop 1, pero es sólo una opinión personal.
Un cordial saludo desde Buenos Aires... Ricardo

Beautiful image Rick for the captured point of view, besides the elected framing for the presentation.
The correct illumination collaborates with the clear and colorful vision of the bird and its environment.
Personally the version that better result obtained was the workshop 1, but it is only a personal opinion.
A cordial greeting from Buenos Aires... Ricardo

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