I did not get out much today I just went down the road from where I live just outside of Rexburg. I was just hanging out by the river to see if any of the Bald Eagles were around, hoping to get a last picture in before I took my camera in to get it repaired. The first thing that I saw was a Western Meadow Lark, this is the first one that I have seen this year. At first I really just saw a splotch of yellow and it took quite of bit of following before I could snap a photo of one. There was probably about five or six of them flying around most of which were females. Latter in the day I actually saw another one at a different location. I did end up seeing a Bald Eagle but it was to far off to do anything but watch. Besides those I saw and heard a few Red-winged Blackbirds which is pretty easy to do now I just have to open my front door. I also watched about 20 Canadian Geese land in a field to hang out with the cows. Latter in the day in passing I saw three Killdeer just on the outside of town another on for me this year.
I was doing a little research between the Eastern and Western Meadowlark and they almost look identical. A couple difference is the lower mandible on a an eastern is white where as on the western it is yellow. The lower mandible would be the jaw area. The other big difference is the tail feathers are much lighter on a western compared to an eastern. Check out http://www.birds.cornell.edu/crows/mlarkdiff.htm for some great details and pictures.
It is always fun to get new birds of the year or a lifer. Happy birding.
ReplyDelete