Month: December 2020

To get the most out of a visit to the bayou on Caddo Lake, it is essential to get onto the water. The bayou is a living, breathing, vibrant place. On the water, you’re surrounded by it, enveloped by it, you become a part of it. This photographer knew what to do. We saw several photographers on the water in kayaks, some even using tripods that they put into the water. The water is shallow and without much movement so their cameras were not in danger of getting swamped in the swamp. We finally got out onto the water on the third day of our visit. I’m so glad we were finally able to do it. When I photographed this photographer on our second day there, I didn’t realize what I was missing. What a way to experience the bayou!

Red-breasted Nuthatches are tiny and distinctive. When they head down a tree trunk in search of something to eat, the large claw on the backward-pointing toe helps them grip the bark of the coniferous trees in which they spend so much time.

It’s hard to miss a Great Egret on the Bayou, even if it’s tucked motionless in among the distinctive trunks of the Bald Cypress on the edge of the swamp. Its brilliant white feathers make it stand out from the dark tree trunks and the darker water. They are such elegant creatures with their long curved necks and regal stature. It’s always a thrill to see them, no matter where they are.

Caddo Lake is such an enchanting place in the early morning. The moss-draped Bald Cypress, rooted in shallow waters, emerge majestically and reflect in their watery surroundings backlit by the intense red from the rising sun that colors the clouds. The stunning scene is all too brief and when the sun appears above the horizon the scene changes to its daylight view, still stunning but not quite as enchanting or mysterious.

A line of buoys strung across the waters just ahead of Caddo Lake Dam caught my eye on our first day there. I walked along the edge of the water until I got just the view of a single buoy in my viewfinder. The bright orange float reflecting in the dark waters struck me as an appealing and uplifting scene. Seeing it then buoyed my spirits. And seeing it again now, still gives me an uplifting feeling.

Morning on the Bayou is still, peaceful, and serene. The Bald Cypress forest is thick surrounding Caddo Lake in Texas. The Spanish moss fills in most of the cracks and spaces between tree trunks, keeping light off the forest floor. At eye level, floating by in a pontoon boat, it’s almost impossible to discern what might be lurking in the darkness. The morning sun strikes the Cypress branches on the edges of the thicket and reflects off the draping moss.