Ginger Roots : John Lampkin

Monday, August 16, 2010

John Lampkin's "Into a Nest of Tree Swallows"

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Here are Mom and Dad Tree Swallow at the entrance to their box nest. The box top was old and beat up, allowing natural light to flood the inside so that no flash was necessary.

This is Mom on her nest, surrounded by the comfy feathers used to line the nest. She sure can SIT PRETTY. That is her eye you see, photographed from seven inches away.

Mom had to WALK ON EGGS, literally, and here they are. Only three of the five made it to adulthood.

Right after hatching, the chicks are featherless and all mouth!

The feathers came in pretty quickly, and it got very crowded in there.

This was taken in the morning just before they all fledged. The feathers are all in and this little one is ready for take off.

By that afternoon, all that was left was this empty nest, as seen through the front entrance.

Note:

The commentary and images above are excerpts from John Lampkin's "Into a Nest of a Tree Swallows". John is an avid Nature photographer. @2010 John Lampkin. If you are interested in John's photographs, music or other artistic work, please visit his website.

Monday August 16, 2010 John Lampkin

Monday, July 26, 2010

John Lampkin's Butterflies

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This Pearly Marble in the high Sierras has his thingy stuck. No, not that thingy, silly. His proboscis is stuck in the flower and that’s why there is a loop in it—from spinning around trying to get free. Sort of like getting your hand stuck in a pickle jar and standing on your head to get it out. How embarrassing!

I photographed this Juniper Hairstreak in central New Jersey last year. Notice the vibrant colors—that means she just hatched. You can tell she’s female by her large abdomen which is full of eggs to be laid over her three-week life span as an adult. Hairstreaks get their name from the hair-like extensions from her backside. She continually shakes her butt so that predators are fooled into thinking that’s her antennae and will nip the wrong end. That happened to me once years ago in a dimly lit singles bar.

Some hairstreaks don’t have tails, like this Coral Hairstreak. They not only visit flowers, but suck up salts from puddles. I put saliva on my fingertip to coax this male on for the pic, holding the camera with my right hand. As you see, these gorgeous creatures are the size of your thumbnail.

These San Emigdio Blues are rare, and can be found only in a few isolated spots in Southern California. They are joined together, mating on their larval host plant, Four-winged Saltbush. This position works fine for butterflies, but please folks, don’t try this at home. Believe me, it can be painful and I myself kept falling out of bed.