Meadow Lark

Meadow Lark

“Name the last bird you saw,” stated Dr. Fred Bittern.

Laurie thought long and hard. The plumage was familiar, as was the song. What was that bird’s name?

“Genus and species. No phones allowed. No bird books either.”

“I thought this was just a filler class. No one said this was going to be this hard.” Mike muttered under his breath.

The class stood out in the wind tossed tall grass. Clouds danced across the deep blue sky, that blue as deep as Texas blue bonnet flowers. Sounds of birds filled their ears.

Suddenly a flash of yellow, a bubbly little song. Again, that little warbly tune.

{link: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Meadowlark/sounds}

“That’s a meadowlark!” Erica shouted.

Dr. Bittern smiled. “You’re correct. Any other information?”

“Um. I know the family is Icteridae and order is Passeriformes. But that’s all.”

“Well done. You can now refer to your sources, phones or books. That was a Western Meadowlark, scientific name sturnella neglecta. Remember that. You never know what might be on a test. Watch your step. These birds nest on the ground.”

The wind continued to blow, the sun shone down. as Bird Identification 101 continued its wandering around the prairie. Mike, the homo sapiens, grumbled as the meadowlark, sturnella neglecta, sang.

W/C 204