Great White Egret and 600 year old Cypress Tree
As we moved quietly through the Caddo Lake swamp, we surprised this Great White Egret who took flight immediately. I had to shoot in a hurry to try to capture the wing span which on this Great White Egret is probably around 190 cm (around 6' 3 inches). The wing span helps give you some perspective and an idea of the size of this ancient Bald Cypres which may be 600 years old or possibly older.
Spanish moss covers the Cyress trees in the Lake and the swamps in this area and In Louisiana. Despite what many people think, Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a member of the bromeliad family and does no harm to the oaks or cypress that it prefers to grow on. There are Indian myths associated with Spanish moss including one that it grew from a beloved Indian maiden who died and was buried under a giant tree. To mark the tree, her husband hung her long braids of hair from the branches of the tree and they grew and spread because of their love. Another myth told to us was that the Spanish brought the moss when they came to the New World, but from what I can find, it was here before they got here. The French first called it "Spanish Beard" making fun of the long Spanish beards popular at the time. The Spanish didn't like that and tried to call it "French hair" but that didn't catch on.
When first encountered, the Native Americans generally called the moss "tree hair" in their languages.
Great White Egret and 600 year old Cypress Tree
As we moved quietly through the Caddo Lake swamp, we surprised this Great White Egret who took flight immediately. I had to shoot in a hurry to try to capture the wing span which on this Great White Egret is probably around 190 cm (around 6' 3 inches). The wing span helps give you some perspective and an idea of the size of this ancient Bald Cypres which may be 600 years old or possibly older.
Spanish moss covers the Cyress trees in the Lake and the swamps in this area and In Louisiana. Despite what many people think, Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is a member of the bromeliad family and does no harm to the oaks or cypress that it prefers to grow on. There are Indian myths associated with Spanish moss including one that it grew from a beloved Indian maiden who died and was buried under a giant tree. To mark the tree, her husband hung her long braids of hair from the branches of the tree and they grew and spread because of their love. Another myth told to us was that the Spanish brought the moss when they came to the New World, but from what I can find, it was here before they got here. The French first called it "Spanish Beard" making fun of the long Spanish beards popular at the time. The Spanish didn't like that and tried to call it "French hair" but that didn't catch on.
When first encountered, the Native Americans generally called the moss "tree hair" in their languages.