Western Meadowlarks are very beautiful and also difficult to photograph as it is hard to get close to them. Craig Tooley recently succeeded and here is the result.

Meadowlarks are easier to hear, with their flute-like call. They eats seeds and insects.

Thanks to Craig for allowing me to share his photo with you here. To see much more of Craig's Coast photography, here's the link: www.ruffimage.com

And to hear the call of the Meadowlark, here's the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/western_meadowlark/sounds