Dark Waters: A Photographic Journey through Five of Louisiana’s Finest Swamps 978-1-365-48855-9

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Dark Waters

A photographic journey through five of Louisiana’s finest swamps BonniE maRQuETTE

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Louisiana swamps...

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heir hauntingly beautiful and mysterious nature are unlike any other ecosystem. Most visitors to the state simply drive over the I-10 Atchafalaya Basin Bridge or the Lake Pontchartrain Bridge peering out the car windows at the swamps dotted with moss draped cypress trees and assume they’ve seen it all. It’s only a taste of what lies below. There’s and old Cajun saying, “In order for a roux (the base of oil and flour used for making gumbos) to be good, it must be as dark as the swamp water.” The darker the roux, the stronger and more intense the flavor... This book is about the serene beauty of the swamps which most people never have the honor of visiting, witnessing the exotic natural beauty of it’s inhabitants. Told through a photographic journey, we’ll visit five of the numerous water bodies known as “swamps” or “swamplands” in Louisiana. For several years I worked in the motion picture industry as a location scout, which means a film or commercial would contact me, tell me the locations they would like to shoot their project at and I would set out to discover suitable areas. Being a Louisiana native and nature photographer, I really got excited when several of these production companies requested swamps. The five swamps showcased in this book were some of my favorites of all of the areas I scouted. Three of the swamps: Lake Martin, Belle River and Henderson Swamp are open to the public and have numerous guided tours, boat launches and other ways the public can enjoy the areas. Two of the swamps we’ll visit are private and no information will be given on their locations. This is to protect the privacy of the owners who so graciously allowed me to photograph these rare gems of nature. The plants that call the Louisiana swamps home are known as hydrophytic plants and have adapted to thrive in wetlands despite the lack of oxygen in the flooded environment. Cypress trees have “knees” in their root systems that jut out of the ground above the water level where they can take in oxygen. Plants with hollow tubes such as

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reeds and grasses, use the tubes or sacks to transport oxygen to the roots. Other plants float along the waterways such as water lilies. The swamps are teeming with wildlife, particularly birds and alligators. Raptors such as osprey, hawks and American Bald Eagles are numerous throughout the swamplands. Some Giant Louisiana Blue Iris of America’s tallest birds, the Great Blue Heron and Great Egret, fill they cypress trees during nesting season fighting over choice branches in which to build their nests. The official state reptile of Louisiana is the American Alligator. Once on the endangered species list due to hunting, conservation efforts have allowed their numbers to increase and they were removed from the list in 1987. The wild population is now estimated to be approaching 2 million. An important ecosystem for the entire country, the Louisiana wetlands encompass more than 20,000 acres and is the drainage gateway to the Gulf of Mexico for more than 24 million acres in seven states. Since 1930, the wetlands have lost more than 1,900 square miles due to activities such as logging in the early 1900’s, dredging for oil and gas and a levee system designed to prevent flooding. The levees also prevented needed silt from draining into the river thus allowing for salt water intrusion from the Gulf of Mexico. The loss equates to the disappearance of about 25 square miles of wetlands each year. The state contains a number of areas which are somewhat protected from human intervention such as National Parks, State Parks, Wildlife Management areas and areas owned by The Nature Conservancy. These areas and the private swamp owners that practice conservation are the only hope for the swamps to thrive and ultimately survive. ~ Bonnie Marquette

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Above: A Great Egret takes flight from a cypress tree. Below: A Great Blue Heron lit by the early morning sun at Lake Martin.

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Following page: The late afternoon sun illuminates the cypress trees.

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Copyright © 2016 by Bonnie Marquette All rights reserved. This E-book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal. This E-book is also available in soft cover, hard cover and has an accompanying calendar. See below for ordering. First Printing: 2016 ISBN- 978-1-365-48855-9 Designed and Published by: Bonnie Marquette Photography P.O. Box 340, Wakefield, LA 70784 www.BonnieMarquette.com Ordering Information: Go to www.BonnieMarquette.com.

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Contents Lake Martin 6 Private Swamp #1 14 Henderson Swamp 20 Private Swamp #2 26 Belle River 34 Image Index 40

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Lake Martin

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A Great Egret stands out admist the colorful grasses and reeds growing in the Lake.

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ocated between Breaux Bridge and Lafayette in St. Martin Parish, Lake Martin is part of The Cypress Island Preserved owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy. The wildlife preserve consists of aproximately 9,500 acres and is home to a spectacular rookery consisting of thousands of Great Egrets, Little Blue Herons, Great Blue Herons and more. March through June is the highlight of the rookery season and draws thousands of visitors to the Preserve each year. Other birds often spotted on the lake are Double Crested Cormorants, Kingfishers, Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy Egrets and the occassional Neotropic Cormorants. Alligators and other wildlife are also in abundance to the delight of photographers and nature lovers. Water snakes can be found in the ditches that line the road surrounding most of the lake along with numerous turtles. The Preserve offers a visitor’s center with information and maps. There is also a 2.5 mile walking levee trail open from the fall to the spring as well as a winding walkway cut through the swamp.

Above: A snowy egret fishes for his lunch during an early spring shower. Below: A Great Blue Heron cautiously eyes me as the sun sets between the cypress trees. Overleaf (Left): Raindrops on cypress. (Right): A large gator glides through the duckweed.

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Facing page: One of the many stands of cypress that line the road which winds around the lake. Above: The north side of the lake on an early misty morning. Right: Perhaps one of the most photographed scenes in Louisiana, the cypress trees just off the boat launch. Below: A Red-winged Blackbird perched on cattails overlooks the lake.

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Facing page: Top: A Double Crested Cormorant glides through the water. Middle Left: A favorite of locals, two fishermen set out on an early misty moring in search of the day’s catch. Middle Right: A Little Blue Heron on a grassy perch. Bottom: A White Ibis reflecting in the still swamp waters. This Page: Top: A banded watersnake moves through the murky water. Bottom: A gathering of Red-eared Slider Turtles in the ditch across from the lake.

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Private Swamp- 1

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ell hidden in East Baton Rouge Parish, this small but fantastic swamp hosts thousands of Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons each nesting season. Loud and racous squawking can be heard nearly a mile away as the two species fight for prime nesting space. Other inhabitants of the swamp include alligators, numerous insects and the flocks of Black Vultures that hang out in the swamp waiting for newly hatched chicks to fall from their nests and land in the water below. Never knowing what you’ll find at this swamp and the surrounding low bottom forests, this is one of my favorite places to also shoot macro photography.

Above Top: A Dragonfly on a branch. above middle Left: a Gypsy moth Caterpillar inches along a leaf. above middle Right: Two Dragonflies mating on a flower. Bottom: Cypress buds.

Facing page: A Great Blue Heron pair on their nest.

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Facing page: The Largest of the North of the North American Herons and weighing up to 7.9 lbs, the Great Blue Herons are often acrobats, able to perch on even the smallest of branches. Right: During the spring, the Great Blue Herons and the Great Egrets are in a constant battle with the Black Vultures. When Great Blues nest alongside other birds, such as the Great Egrets, these groups are called a “herony”, a more specific term than a “rookery.” Bottom Left: A Great Egret in its glorious breeding plummage. Botton Right: Nesting wars erupt when a Great Egret flies too close to a Great Blue’s nest.

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Above: A male Great Egret presenting his mate with a stick for the nest. Left: A mother Great Egret guarding her chicks in her nest. Below: After a successful nesting material hunt, a Great Egret carries a stick to his mate.

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Above: The classic heronry; a Great Blue Heron, Great Egret and Anhinga in the same image. Left: With an average body weight of 2.2 lbs, The Great Egret can stand up to 3.3 feet tall and has a wingspan of up to 67 inches. Bottom: Shot from a canoe as a Great Blue Heron passed over me, the image shows the delicate colorations of a Great Blue Heron.

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Henderson Swamp

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he Henderson Swamp is roughly about 7,000 acres and is located in St. Martin Parish. Part of the Atchafalaya Basin (named after the Choctaw word meaning “Long River”), Henderson Swamp is one of the more visited swamps in the state. A draw for both nature photographers as well as fresh water fishermen, the swamp can be accessed by either the Pelba boat ramp near the Atchafalya Basin Welcome Center (for kayaking) or via one of the many airboat tours lining the Henderson Levee Road off the Breaux Bridge exit at I-10. One such tour is located at the Atchafalya Basin Landing & Marina where one of the airboat captains, Tucker Friedman, has made “friends” with a very large alligator known at “Henri,” (pronounced on-ree) Upon hearing the sound of the approaching airboat, Henri slowly swims in and allows Tucker to “pet” him. It’s quite the thrill and photo opportunity for tourists and photographers to get that close to a wild alligator! Facing Page: The beautiful cypress trees adorned with flowing Spanish moss. Right: A Barred Owl perched in a cypress tree. Below: The area of the Henderson Swamp known as the “Prairie.” Overleaf (Left): Henri, up close and personal. (Right): A now wake zone locals have used for target practice. The lines on the cypress tree show the ever changing water levels.

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Facing Page: Top: Captain Tucker Friedman gives Henri the alligator a friendly pat on the head. Bottom: One of the airboats traveling under the I-10 Atchafalya Basin Bridge which crosses over the swamp. Right: An Osprey taking flight from her nest built in one of the massive cypress trees. The massive nests are generally made up of sticks, driftwood, turf and other materials and can be as large as 6 feet wide and weigh almost 300 lbs. Below: One of the scenic lakes in the swamp.

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Private Swamp- 2

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he first time I scouted this swamp I was speechless. I had never seen such a diverse array of birds! The swamps were filled with countless ducks, alligators and American Bald Eagles. Herons of all types, ibis’ and hawks are everywhere! Flocks of ducks floated along the water in perfect harmony with the alligators and turtles causually swimming by. It was the equivalent of a nature photographer’s fantasy land. I was lucky enough to first scout the swamp during the spring. The cypress stands brimming with new growth on their limbs and wild Louisiana Blue Iris beds filled the swamp with color. Green Darner Dragonflies darted about, their wings shimmering in the sunlight of the early morning.

Facing Page: A blue eyed White Ibis. Above Top: A Green Heron skims the swamp. Above Bottom: Pair of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.

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Facing Page: Top: The cypress trees explode in vivid green with new buds. Bottom: A stand of wild Louisiana blue iris pop against the colors of the swamp. This Page: Top: A Green Darner Dragonfly shines in the sun against the backdrop of wild pink swamp hibiscus. Bottom: The swamp in waves of colors provided by the flowers and native plants.

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Previous Page: (Left) A Snowy Egret perches on a broken tree. (Top Right): A pair of Mottled Ducks enjoying the sunshine. (Bottom Right): Kingfisher on a branch. Above: Showing off his teeth, an alligator can have 74-80 teeth in their mouth at a time. Right: Two Banded Water Snakes sunning on a log.

Above Left: A Garter Snake curious about my camera. Above Rigth: A White Ibis in flight. Right: An alligator camoflauged in swamp vegetation.

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Above: Two immature American Bald Eagles perched outside of their nest. Right: A Snowy Egret sharing swamp space with a group of Bluewinged Teal. Below: Yellow-crowned Night Heron.

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Belle River 34

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sunset shot in the swamp are what dreams are made of. Located just above Morgan City, the river has tight, intimate cypress sloughs and wide open areas. The sunset and sunrises are breathtaking with a rare chance to get a reflection of the cypress stands due to the open waters if the wind is still. Iris stands fill the sloughs nestled happily among the cypress knees and Great Blue Herons stalk their prey among the wild philodendrons. Ospreys build their huge nests high in the cypress tree tops and alligators lazily sun themselves along the banks. Lake Verret and other adjacent lakes such as Grassy Lake and Lake Palourde, offer the nature photographer endless subjects to capture. On one of my swamp scouts for a national commercial, I headed for the Morgan City area. After talking to a few locals, I was pointed in the direction of 4 Mile Bayou Road in Stephenville. This long winding road through the swamp goes from paved to graveled with tons of little fishing camps nestled in along the

sides, the wilderness becoming wilder the further you drive down the road. Along with several other photographers, I was lucky enough to join famed Wildlife and Natural History photographer, CC Lockwood (who has been one of my idols for years) for one of his Atchafalaya Workshops in April 2015 and this was one of the areas where we shot. During our boat trip, we photographed alligators, Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles and other amazing animals. The weather was perfect and the scenery was breathtaking. Afterwards, CC took us to the junction of Belle River, Bayou Long and Bayou Magazille to catch the sunset. We pulled alongside a stand of cypress trees waiting patiently, and were rewarded with on of the most beautiful sunsets I had ever witnessed! Shooting from the boat, the colors grew ever intense as the sun set during “magic hour.” The trees silhouetted against the fire red sky. If you ever have the chance, I highly suggest joining CC for one of his workshops.

Facing Page: The beautiful cypress trees adorned with flowing Spanish moss. Above: A mature American Bald Eagle perched on a Cypress Tree branch.

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Left: An Osprey guards her huge nest a top a cypress tree. Below: A young Alligator reflecting in the dark, murky waters. Facing Page: Top Left: A Common Grackle with brilliant yellow eyes and iridescent feathers hangs out on a cypress knee. Top Right: A Great Blue Heron amidst wild philodendrons and cypress knees. Bottom: An American Bald Eagle in flight.

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Above: Swamp traffic with an alligator and turtle off 4 Mile Bayou Road. Facing Page:The “magic hour” on Belle River just after sunset with the cypress trees silhouetted against the brilliant red and orange sky.

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About the Author Louisiana resident and native, Bonnie Marquette specializes in capturing the mysterious, vivid and sometimes hauntingly beautiful sights that define this unique state. Winner of numerous International, National, Regional and Local awards, her work showcases the essence of this incredible area. Bonnie also teaches online workshops. Working one-on-one with her students, she

helps photographers achieve their goals and grow in their skills. You can find more information at: www.BonnieMarquette.com. She also has a background in graphic design and magazine publishing. Bonnie and her husband, David, also raise English Mastiff dogs. They occasionally have puppies for sale. You can visit her website at: www.MeauxMastiffs.com.

Image Index

Many of the images contained in this book are available as prints at www.BonnieMarquette.com. The orientation and aspect ratio may be changed due to paginating of this book. Cameras used: Canon 5D Mark ii, Canon 7D Mark ii. Lenses used: Sigma DG 150-500mm, f6.3, Tamron 90mm, 2.8. Page i: Lake Martin Cypress Stand Page ii: Sunlit Iris Page 1: Dark Cypress Stand Page 2:Take Off Page 2: Great Blue in Front Page 3: Cypress Cove Pages 4 & 5: Foggy Lake Martin Morning Page 6: Great Egret in Grasses Page 7: Egret Reflections Page 7: Great Blue in Sunset Page 8: Cypress Raindrops Page 9: Big Alligator Page 10: Lake Martin Cypress Slough Page 11: Lake Martin Morning Page 11: Red-winged Blackbird Page 11: Twin Cypress Page 12: Cormorant Page 12: First Out Page 12: Little Blue Heron Page 12: Ibis Reflections Page 13: Banded Water Snake Page 13: Turtle Family Page 14: Great Blue Breeding Pair Page 15: Dragonfly on Branch Page 15: Gypsy Moth Caterpillar Page 15: Mating Dragonflies Page 15: Cypress Buds Page 16: Herons vs Vultures Page 16: Breeding Plumage Page 16: Nest Wars Page 17: Balancing Act Page 18: Nest Building Page 18: Guarding Her Nest Page 18: Bringing Sticks Page 19: Wingspan Page 19: Swamp Flight Page 19: Flyover Page 20: Henderson Swamp Cypress

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Page 20: Barred Owl Page 20: Henderson Prarie Page 21: Henri Page 22: No Wake Zone Page 23: Tucker and Henri Page 24: Under the Interstate Page 25: Osprey Landing Page 25: Henderson Lake Page 26: Blue Eyed Ibis Page 27: Coming in for a Landing Page 27: Black-bellied Whistling Ducks Page 28: Swamp Slough Page 28: Louisiana Blue Iris Page 29: Swamp Dragonfly Page 29: Yellow and Blue Swamp Page 30: Snowy Egret on Broken Branch Page 31: Mottled Ducks Page 31: Kingfisher Page 32: Green Gator Page 32: Water Snakes Page 32: Garter Snake Page 32: Soaring Ibis Page 32: Camo Gator Page 33: Young Eagles Page 33: Yellow-crowned Night Heron Page 33: Egret and Teal Page 34: Cypress Knee Alley Page 35: Eagle Perch Page 36: Osprey Guarding Her Nest Page 36: Gator Reflections Page 37: Bright Eyed Grackle Page 37: Heron Hiding Page 37: Lift Off Page 38: Swamp Traffic Page 39: Belle River Colors Page 40: Flock of Coots Page 41: Great Egret Preening Page 42: Great Egret in Flight

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