Diario de k_mccormack

There was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve this month.
Four amphibian species were observed in the main pond and ditch in the pecan orchard: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 2), American Bullfrog (CI = 1), Green Treefrog (CI = 3), and Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 3). Photos and/or recordings were not obtained for the American Bullfrog (one, or possibly two, individuals called briefly).
Chimney Swifts and a Nine-banded Armadillo were seen at sunset, and water was flowing over the dam.
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 0.93 inches of rain four days earlier and 0.13 inches of rain three days earlier (1.06 inches of rain total).
The monitoring period was 20:35 - 22:05.
Participants were Kathy, Christie, Carolyn, and Amy.
Environmental conditions at the main pond at sunset:
Air temperature = 82.8 deg F
Water temperature = 70.4 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = average
Relative humidity = 55 %

There was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve this month.
Five amphibian species were observed in the main pond, ditch in the pecan orchard, and grassy swimming pools below the restroom; along the sidewalk; and in the wet weather pond north of the improved campground: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 2), Gulf Coast Toad (CI = 3), Green Treefrog (CI = 3), Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 3), and Western Narrow-mouthed Toad (CI = 3). Photos and/or recordings were obtained for all species.
There were many areas with standing water in the park, and water was flowing over the dam.
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 1.16 inches of rain two days earlier.
The monitoring period was 20:20 - 21:50.
Participants were Kathy, Christie, and Amy.
Environmental conditions at the main pond at sunset:
Air temperature = 77.9 deg F
Water temperature = 80.4 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = above average
Relative humidity = 66 %

Due to construction at Berry Springs Park and Preserve, there was a small group outing to Lake Creek Dam this month.
Five amphibian species were observed in the creek and nearby dry block limestone wall: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 1), Gulf Coast Toad (CI = 0), Rio Grande Chirping Frog (CI = 1), Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 3), and Green Tree Frog (CI = 3). Two scorpions, several Mediterranean Geckos, and a Black-necked Garter Snake were also seen in cracks in the wall. A Rio Grande Chirping Frog only chirped a couple of times at the wall - we couldn't find it and we didn't get a recording. Rio Grande Leopard Frogs were heard from the dam along the north shore, but they were hard to hear due to the wind and the Green Tree Frogs, and no recording was obtained.
According to the USGS gauge station at UBC Dam 8 near Austin, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/302814097444799/#parameterCode=00045&period=P30D&showMedian=true), there had been 1.15 inches of rain in the last 19 days.
The monitoring period was 20:00 - 21:15.
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, and Amy.
Environmental conditions at the dam at sunset:
Air temperature = 78.3 deg F
Water temperature = 75.8 deg F
Sky = mostly cloudy
Water level = average
Relative humidity = 64 %

Due to construction at Berry Springs Park and Preserve, there was a small group outing to Lake Creek Dam this month.
Four amphibian species were observed in the creek and nearby dry limestone block wall: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 1), Gulf Coast Toad (CI = 0), Rio Grande Chirping Frog (CI = 1), and Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 3). A Texas Spiny Lizard was also seen in a crack in the wall, and a Plain-bellied Watersnake (formerly known as a Blotched Watersnake) was also seen in the creek just below the dam. The Rio Grande Chirping Frog only chirped twice and trilled once at the wall - we couldn't find it and we didn't get a recording. No photo was obtained for the Texas Spiny Lizard, either.
According to the USGS gauge station at UBC Dam 8 near Austin, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/302814097444799/#parameterCode=00045&period=P30D&showMedian=true), there had been 1.42 inches of rain in the last 15 days.
The monitoring period was 19:45 - 21:00.
Participants were Kathy and Carolyn.
Environmental conditions at the dam at sunset:
Air temperature = 68.0 deg F
Water temperature = 68.9 deg F
Sky = mostly cloudy
Water level = average
Relative humidity = 46 %

In spite of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
Two amphibian species were observed in the sloughs, main pond, and ditch in the pecan orchard: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 1) and Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 2). Photos were obtained of three individuals of the former, and recordings were obtained of the latter.
The sloughs, ponds, and ditch in the pecan orchard were full, the water level in the creek was average, and water was flowing over the dam.
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 0.69 inches of rain since our last monitoring event 24 days earlier.
The monitoring period was 18:15 - 19:30.
Participants were Kathy and Carolyn.
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 71.2 deg F
Water temperature = 66.2 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = average
Relative humidity = 38 %

In spite of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
Two amphibian species were observed at the end of the monitoring period in the slough near the footbridge by the playground: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 2) and Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 1). A recording was obtained of the former, but neither a recording nor a photo was obtained of the latter. The former was also heard a little bit after sunset in the main pond near the footbridge above the sluice gate.
The sloughs, ponds, and ditch in the pecan orchard were full, the water level in the creek was high, and water was flowing over the dam !
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 4.78 inches of rain since our last monitoring event 41 days earlier, with 3.54 inches in the previous five days.
The monitoring period was 18:00 - 19:15.
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, and Christie.
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 54.5 deg F
Water temperature = 58.3 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = above average
Relative humidity = 35 %

In spite of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
No identifiable amphibian species were observed, although some medium-sized tadpoles were seen in the ditch in the pecan orchard. The sloughs and ponds continue to slowly refill, but the water level in the creek was about the same as last month, and water still wasn't flowing over the dam yet. The highlight of the night occurred at sunset near the Red and White Mulberry interpretive plants signs - an American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) was seen foraging on the ground between the crushed granite trail and the edge of the slough.
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 0.32 inches of rain since our last monitoring event 29 days earlier.
The monitoring period was 17:30 - 18:30.
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, Christie, and Amy.
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 51.6 deg F
Water temperature = 58.0 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = below average
Relative humidity = 36 %

In spite of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
Two amphibian species were observed: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 3) and Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 1); however, no documentation was collected for the latter. The sloughs and ponds had been slowly refilling since last month when the springs started flowing again, and the water level in the creek was higher than last month, but no water was flowing over the dam yet.
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 3.35 inches of rain since our last monitoring event 26 days earlier.
The monitoring period was 17:35 - 18:50.
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, Christie, Amy, and Cristy (welcome !).
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 62.8 deg F
Water temperature = 64.5 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = below average
Relative humidity = 52 %

In spite of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
Two amphibian species were observed: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 1) and Gulf Coast Toad (CI = 0). No documentation was collected for the former, but photos were obtained of the three observed individuals of the latter. The sloughs were dry, and the water level in the creek was very low, but the springs at the bottom of the main pond and below the interpretive deck had started flowing again and were beginning to fill up the ponds again.
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 2.36 inches of rain over the previous five days.
We saw several White-tailed Deer at sunset.
The monitoring period was 18:50 - 20:05.
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, and Christie.
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 80.1 deg F
Water temperature = 78.8
Sky = mostly cloudy
Water level = much below average
Relative humidity = 59 %

In spite of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
One amphibian species was observed next to the dry main pond: Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 0). The sloughs were also dry, and there were only isolated pools in the creek.
According to the USGS gauge station at Berry Creek at Airport Road near Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/08105095/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D), there had been 1.35 inches of rain over the previous two days after no rain for 3.75 months.
We heard a Common Nighthawk and saw several White-tailed Deer and a large Nine-banded Armadillo at sunset, and saw a small mammal (Nutria ?) after sunset.
The monitoring period was 19:35 - 20:35.
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, and Amy.
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 78.4 deg F
Water temperature = N/A
Sky = mostly cloudy
Water level = much below average
Relative humidity = 59 %