Special Kind of Cypress

[Meadowlark]

Looks like a southern magnolia in full bloom, but it is actually bald cypress with branches full of cattle egrets coming in for the night's rest. This is a nightly occurrence all summer long until temps start to retreat, and the birds migrate south. This small lake is located right behind my garden and across pasture burned from heat and drought.

The birds make a soft reassuring clucking sound as they settle in for the night safe from any predators in the cypress that is well away from the bank and the reach of any predator.

 

[pepper]

We don't have them here, I had to look them up. They are a beautiful bird and apparently very helpful for eating pests around the cattle.

 

[big rockpile]

We can grow Cypress here but I've seen very few.

Now in the Bootheal there is several in the swamps.

big rockpile