Berry Springs Preserve Herps of Texas report, 20Jun2022
In spite of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
Four amphibian species were observed in the main ponds, Berry Creek, and the trails: Rio Grande Leopard Frog (CI = 1), Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 2), Green Treefrog (CI = 3), and Gulf Coast Toad (CI = 0). Photos were obtained for Gulf Coast Toad, and audio recordings were obtained for the other three species.
According to the USGS gauge station at the South Fork of the San Gabriel River at Georgetown, TX (https://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/uv/?site_no=08104900&PARAmeter_cd=00045), there had been 0.78 inches of rain 3.5 weeks before the monitoring session. The sloughs were dry, and the water level in the main ponds was down significantly since last month - no water was flowing over the dam. The water level in Berry Creek was low, but still flowing.
The monitoring period was 20:35 - 21:35.
Participants were Kathy, Christie, Carolyn, Randy, and Sandra.
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 87.8 deg F
Water temperature = 79.6 deg F
Sky = no/few clouds
Water level = much below average
Relative humidity = 39 %