'Knee' of Bald Cypress. This feature with what bald cypresses are really known for. The technical term is Pneumatophore, which means 'air-bearing', and is a special kind of root. Pneumatophores grow from horizontal roots just below the surface and protrude upward from the ground or water. Bald cypresses often grow in swampy conditions, and it
A Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) stands at the edge of the Lake Woodlands spillway which flows into Panther Branch below. The genus name 'Actitis' is from Ancient Greek aktites, "coast-dweller". This bird species is common to the U.S. Gulf Coast and can be found not only along coastal shores, but several miles inland. They are commonly seen scurrying about picking up small insects and other bits of food along the shallow waters edge.
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) with bright blue breeding plumage. The demand for the feathers of snowy egrets, white ibises, and great blue herons in the late 19th and early 20th centuries made these birds a target. By 1886, more than 5 million birds were being massacred yearly to satisfy the North American millinery trade.
