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Horned Lark


Horned Lark
Photo Information
Copyright: Rick Price (Adanac) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1111 W: 1 N: 4518] (15132)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-03-08
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon 40D, Canon 100-400/4.5-5.6L IS
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/800 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-03-09 18:41
Viewed: 497
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Over the last few days the Horned Larks have returned and they are courting. This is a very nice thing to watch, they start near the ground meet then flutter skyward facing one another. I have yet to catch them doing this as they are quite fast.

Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris
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General Description

By Lee Sollenberger


The Horned Lark is widely distributed on a global scale. In the Americas it occurs from the high Arctic islands to southern Mexico and in the eastern Andes of Colombia. In Eurasia, where it is known as the Shore Lark, it is found from the Arctic coast south to extreme northern Africa, Asia Minor, the Himalayas and Japan. In Alberta, it can be found transiting the whole province, but avoids forested areas, breeding only in open landscape, primarily in the agricultural areas, in the Rocky Mountains above treeline and in the northeastern corner on the Canadian Shield region. Its numbers have drastically declined in recent decades.

This is Alberta's earliest spring migrant, arriving in February, finding food on wind-swept bare ground. If heavy snows fall after their arrival, they gather on the bare plowed edge of roadways, often in the hundreds. Most early arrivals likely move on to breed in the tundra region. Local summer residents may arrive later. Horned Larks avoid the big cities, but some may be found on large, open, bare expanses such as on agricultural fairgrounds in smaller urban communities. In the Calgary area, they are most readily found on grazed pastures or cultivated fields east of the city. When fields are bare, a few birds can usually be found during the winter months in the southern part of the province.

Weed seeds make up a large percentage of this bird's annual diet. It also eats many insects during the summer months.

The nest is always on the ground, usually tucked into a sheltered hollow. It is constructed of dry grass and plants stem with a finer inner lining of plant down, fur and/or feathers. Usually four greenish gray eggs are laid, incubated by the female for 10 to 14 days, depending upon the latitude. Both adults feed. The young open their eyes at three to four days, leaving the nest when nine to twelve days old. They are fully able to fly four days later. This species may rear more than one brood annually.
writerscrawlz, NinaM, jaycee, angela926, smitha, Tamrock, PaulH, eqshannon, earthtraveler, Jamesp, CeltickRanger has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To jaycee: Not obvious but there.Adanac 2 03-10 19:22
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Critiques [Translate]

I love the pose! This larks seems a bit shy of you, and the colors are remarkable. They seem pastel and blend into the lighting in such a wonderful way. This is an enjoyable capture. Well done!

Hello Rick,
Great capture, nice composition and point of view, excellent sharpness and depth of field, beautiful natural colors and good clarity.
Angela

Bellissima immagine, ottime composizione e nitidezza, molto belli i colori e ottima gestione dello sfondo. Complimenti. Ciao Maurizio

hi rick!
A very nice bird you captured here
with good quality,nice to see!
tfs

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1888 W: 245 N: 6180] (22002)
  • [2008-03-10 2:42]

Excellent shot of this Shore Lark!
We can see the distinctive colour patterns on its face really clearly.
Very, very sharp with excellent clarity.
Great DOF and BG.
Very well done,

Joe

  • Great 
  • PaulH Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1068 W: 26 N: 3206] (11487)
  • [2008-03-10 4:33]

Hi Rick,
i really like the colours you have here, beautiful markings and background. DOF and exposure both seem to be spot on too, well done as always :o)

Hi Rick

Great pastel colours in this good sharp image. Well composed on top of teh fence post.

Chris

Hello Rick,
Very beautiful photo of this Horned Lark in nice soft and clear colours. Great sharpness, pose, POV, DOF and composition. Beautiful BG.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Rick,
Excellent picture of the Horned Lark. Good sharp image with good details.Nice blurred background and liked pose captured with its one leg slightly raised.:)
Thanks for the share,
Smitha.

Hi Rick,

I don't think I have seen this bird before. Trying to figure out how it got its name. I love the pose with one leg off the ground. Lovely colors and wonderful details of the face, wings and plummage.

Jane

did you take this image just for a lark? :-) Nevermind..just kidding...a nice one and it looks like warmer weather for both you and I Rick..I am pleased that we both will be getting out more very soon now!
Bob

Hi Rick, nice capture of this H.Lark. The soft colors and light
are very pleasing. Beautiful bird well seen. tfs Richard

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1305 W: 0 N: 5107] (15234)
  • [2008-03-10 15:06]

Hi Rick

Great close-up with excellent detail and great pose.

JAmes

  • Great 
  • SkyF Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2390 W: 194 N: 1991] (8113)
  • [2008-03-11 5:43]

Hi Rick,
another lovely inter scene, and the same soft tonal range as the one before. That would make a wonderful pair for the wall.
Great POV and lovely composition.
TFS..Sky

hello Rick

wonderful capture of this Horned Lark, excellent POV & framing,
great moment to shoot the image with that movement
of the feets, lovely softness of the colours and excellent
details of the foreground, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 655 W: 0 N: 1623] (5300)
  • [2008-03-12 8:43]

Hello again Rick, it's me! And what a beautiful bird you show us today, it looks like a big one too. The colours of the background are stunningly superb, going from earthy and light brown to soft blue. The bird is standing with its little leg up. Very nice moment. Thanks!

Francine

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1812 W: 29 N: 5246] (17188)
  • [2008-03-14 18:55]

Hi Rick,
Outstanding profile shot of this cute Horned Lark. Beautiful colours and sharp details on its plumage with superb lighting and exposure levels. You have captured a fabulous pose here with a precise DOF and neat focus. The BG looks so special. Excellent POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

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