It’s not often these days that I head to the water without a fishing rod, especially when I’m taking a kayak out. I’m a pretty avid, well… used to be avid, kayak fisherman. I say “used to” only because family time, work, and life situations have kept me off the water. I did, however, recently get to spend a few hours at Lake Martin, a beautiful wildlife preserve not far from Lafayette. I was using a kayak to weave in and out around the tall & old cypress trees, their canopies dressed in Spanish moss.
Plenty of Red-Ear Turtles were out enjoying the sun.
The shed-shell of a Cicada hangs on a limb.
Perched on the limb of a submerged tree, an Anhinga watches closely.
After coming through a group of trees, I was surrounded by Purple Martins, chasing insects through the air.
With the air temperature slightly cooled down, Alligators could be seen on logs sunning themselves.
Many of these trees are hundreds of years old and have seen many hurricanes and floods.
Anhingas will dive beneath the water’s surface to find a meal, but their wings are not coated with oil like most birds. They’re often seen drying their wings before taking flight.
The story of Spring.
A Great Blue Heron finds a meal…
…then took flight…
…when I got a little too close.
Cypress Cathedral.
Almost incognito.
