Eastern Meadowlark

sorry for the bad shots, I was not prepared and this bird appeared.
The Meadowlark is synonymous with grasslands. The name “meadowlark” is derived from the bird's habitat of meadows (grasslands) and lark from its melodious song. It is not a true lark but is, in fact, a member of the blackbird and oriole family. The Eastern Meadowlark in spring or summer may frequently be seen perched on a fencepost belting out its musical song. When observed like this, the brilliant yellow underparts with a black “v” on the breast glow in the sun light. The upperparts are mottled in various shades of pale gray-brown colors which provide excellent camouflage once on the ground. In flight the bird appears short tailed with white outer tail feathers, has a plump body, rapid wing beats and short glide periods. The head and bill give a distinctive sharply pointed appearance.
Meadowlarks forage and nest on the ground. They walk and look for insects which constitute the bulk of its diet. Meadowlarks nest locally, and the nest is constructed on the ground of interwoven grasses and may be interwoven with a clump of growing grass. Frequently, grass above the nest is interlaced with other grass to form a dome shaped roof above the nest. While still fairly common, the population of the Eastern Meadowlark has declined 72% in the last 40 years due to the loss of grasslands to development (source: National Audubon Society). I encourage you to get out in the early morning and listen to the musical song of this quintessential grassland bird, and then you will understand why we need to protect our grasslands and prairies.