Meadowlark in Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge

One of the best parts of visiting a Wildlife Refuge many miles from your home is that you’re apt to see birds you would never see at home. For instance, I was pleased to see this Meadowlark on our first visit to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge,

Meadowlark

though I would have been even happier if I’d managed to hear him sing or if he would have turned a little more toward the camera so that the beautiful colors on its breast were more prominently displayed.

On our later visit I did manage to get a shot of one singing,

Meadowlark

and got to listen to it’s beautiful song.

Leslie, however, managed to get the very best shot out of her side of the car.

Meadowlark

I particularly liked this shot after I read that the Meadowlark is part of the blackbird family of birds, a thought that had never occurred to me, though further reflection reminded me that they do look like immature and female Red-Wing Blackbirds. This pose looks exactly like the classic male Red-Wing Blackbird pose, and even though their songs are quite different they both rank up their with my favorite bird songs.