Trip Report: Southern Cypress Swamps - November 2024

When you tell someone you’re going to photograph for a couple of weeks on the Texas/Louisiana border, even when talking to a Texan, you often get a number of follow-up questions and intrigue. You then describe what you’ve seen in your trip research- cypress trees growing out of a lake, with long Spanish moss and fall foliage in its midst of change. An eerie, unique landscape that looks more like a painting.

I feel that the moment you arrive on the lake, you are overwhelmed by the depth of exactly what you’d envisioned the place to be. An immersive labyrinth of channels and alleys (bayous) with an eerie dramatic feel. A truly unique and beautiful landscape.

This area was originally inhabited by The Caddo Indians, who sold the land to the US government in 1835. The area was originally a wetland, with influence from the Red River and Big Cypress River (or Bayou). The Cypress trees here are as old as 500 years and part of the largest cypress forest in the world. There was a great log jam in the early 1800s that turned this wetland area into a lake. The log jam was slowly broken up, over the course of almost 100 years. This work was mostly done to allow steamboats to access the town of Jefferson, which was one of the largest ports in the country and the 2nd largest city in the state. Just before its clearing, off-shore oil drilling was developed here, the first offshore drilling ever done. After the log jam was cleared, the lake dissipated and turned back into a muddy wetland, making oil drilling unmanageable. Thus, a dam was created to bring back the lake, and oil drilling as well. The lake has remained since and is the largest and only naturally formed lake in the state.

Something you learn quickly on this trip, and a big reason why I’d come back here over and over again, is that this is a split trip. While people come here for the landscape, the birding is fantastic. If you want solid Great Blue Heron photos, come straight here!

There are herons you go right by on the posts marking the boat lanes...

…herons posing on the shoreline...

…and herons flying right beside you!

Beyond the Great Blue Herons, you’ll also find White Egrets, Pileated Woodpeckers, Kingfishers, Bald Eagles, and Osprey.

We always have our telephoto’s ready for wildlife. While the birds are the focus, we also are on the lookout for turtles, Big Foot of course (a famous spot for “sightings,”) and last year I got a nice deer photo here as well. The alligators are here, but not seen this time of year as it’s too cold for them.

On the second week of trips, our group had a long and close encounter with a beautiful night heron.

Each morning and evening, we’d head back out on our pontoon boat led by Captain Mike, a highlight of our time in his own right. Mike grew up coming to the lake, and along with his class southern charm and hospitality, had endless stories and facts for us. Mike even took out the writers of the 2024 film “Caddo Lake” by M Night Shyamalan. Led by Mike’s knowledge of the area and astute sense of a photographer’s desire, we would search for birds, perfect light, and everything in between.

We would settle into our routine, grab our new favorite snacks, check our settings, and head back out to capture more. We passed other boats and kayakers…

…and we learned more and more locations throughout this 35,000 acres of land and lake.

We also learned many stories from this place: from the Caddo Indians to the forming of the lake and its natural and unnatural history as well. We learned some of its unique stories, including this infamous “Tea Room” that served alcohol during prohibition.

…along with the invasive salvinia and water hyacinth. While the invasive species are damaging, they too are a part of the story. And the water hyacinth in particular, does produce a beautiful purple flower. Each day, we’d see the foliage turn more and more, adding to the drama of the area.