Berry Springs Preserve Herps of Texas report, 15Oct2021

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there was no group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve this month. However, one person checked on the amphibians while texting a local fellow frogger upon arrival and departure (for safety) - the county was still in the Red Phase of COVID-19 transmission due to the highly contagious Delta variant.
Two amphibian species were observed in the middle slough springhead, slough by the playground, the main ponds, and the ditch in the pecan orchard: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 3) and American Bullfrog (CI = 0). Photos and/or recordings were obtained for both species.
An American Kestrel was seen at sunset, and a Nerodia watersnake was seen in the ditch in the pecan orchard an hour after sunset.
The puddle at the middle slough springhead was larger than last month, and the water level was average in the slough by the playground and main ponds. According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Rd near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/uv/?site_no=08105095&PARAmeter_cd=00045), there had been 3.65 inches of rain over the previous five days before monitoring (including 2.25 inches of rain two days before monitoring).
The monitoring period was 19:00 - 20:15.
The author of this journal post was the only participant.
Environmental conditions at the middle slough springhead at sunset:
Air temperature = 69.6 deg F
Water temperature = 67.5 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = below average at springhead and average at main ponds
Relative humidity = 42 %

Julkaistu lokakuu 17, 2021 12:51 AP. käyttäjältä k_mccormack