Tongue action

June 15, 2006

I don't know where I've been for the last couple of weeks, other than not wanting to be sitting in front of a computer screen in the evening.

I've taken a few pics including a series that details everything that was in bloom in my yard 2 Saturdays ago.

And I'll probably still get that put together.

But for whatever reason, I've been thinking about tongue action, especially since I had a rather close encounter with one the other day, in of all places, the garden of a cathedral.

Tongues are great, and probably during any given day, not really thought of much at all.

I mean really, how much thought did you give to your tongue today?

Quite a few functions centered around that one body part, like speaking, tasting, entertaining and all.

But unless you are a mutant, I suspect we've all pretty much got very similar equipment.

But it's not so in the natural world.

We all know that the hummingbird is equipped to sip nectar from the deep recesses of a flower or a feeder.

But did you know that there are other birds that are equally equipped?

Take this guy for example.

Not only does he have the ability to grab onto a torch plant with ease, but he can crank his head around and up into the flowers to take a sip of all the goodies that lie within.

I suspect that this is a Bullock's Oriole, the western version of the Baltimore Oriole, it's tongue is similar to that of the hummingbird.

Now I'm not so sure I need that particular skill set, but I do know that other than the humming bird this is the only other bird that I ever saw alight on the torch plant.

And that brings us to the cathredal.

Last Sunday morning Mrs and I were in Santa Fe and we went into one of the historic churches quite a bit before the next service was to start.

Right there as we walked in was a big sign, NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY.

I of course, interpreted that sign to mean:
PHOTOGRAPHY WITHOUT A FLASH IS OK.
KNOCK YOURSELF OUT.

I mean really, what else would one do inside of an interesting church from almost the back pew with no one else around?

Well, except for the spouse.

She got annoyed and told me to quit taking pictures.

So I did what any reasonable photographer would do, I put my camera away and told her to enjoy the service and took my camera for a walk around the grounds.

And that's when I found this.

Working away on the flowers for all it was worth, hanging on in the middle of a stiff breeze.

First I shot a group of images with the telephoto, but since this butterfly was so persistent I decided that I would switch lenses and pulled out the closeup for another round of images.

People stopped to watch.

I think they were as interested in my contortions as they were the butterfly.

And here we are all up close and personal. Just look at that tongue.

Granted, this creature can put that tognue to good work, but I think I'm quite satisfied to have the equipment that I was dealt.

Can you imagine us walking around the street flicking bugs out of the air with something like that?

Nah, I'm perfectly ok with things just the way they are.

But if any of you have any other thoughts...

Just let me know, cuz I'm all ears.