Berry Springs Preserve Herps of Texas report, 16Jul2016
We had a very exciting July night at Berry Springs Preserve. Nine people (including two new participants - welcome, Randy and Sandra) braved the heat and were rewarded with five amphibian species, and we were able to get photos and/or recordings of all of them: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Call Index = 1 at the main pond, Call Index = 2 at the slough by the parking lot at the end of monitoring), American Bullfrog (CI = 1), Gulf Coast Toad (CI = 0), Green Tree Frog (CI = 3), and Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 3).
A Green Treefrog entertained us again this month from one of the little Redbud trees near the fishing pier. Marek found us tadpoles of both Rio Grande Leopard Frog and American Bullfrog. There were at least two American Bullfrogs calling at the main pond, and Randy and Marek caught one of them - the BIGGEST MONSTER bullfrog we had ever seen !!! Truly the highlight of the evening.
We saw and heard (on the bat detector) lots of bats over the pond, and saw lots of wolf spiders (one with spiderlings on her back) in the grass. After sunset, we heard a pack of coyotes very close by - they seemed to be on the other side of the creek from us.
We haven't had significant rain since May, and we've been having near/at/above triple digit heat for the past two weeks, but the ponds are looking good. The well at the pond is still flowing under artesian pressure, although slower than last month.
The monitoring period was 20:05 - 22:10.
Participants were Kathy, Sue, Christie, Larry & Marek, Heike, Debbie, Randy, and Sandra.
Environmental Conditions at the main pond at sunset:
- Air temperature = 84.7 deg F
- Water temperature = 81.0 deg F
- Sky = No or few clouds
- Water level = average
- Relative humidity at sunset = 41 %