Southwest Nature Preserve, 18 June 2020

This walk was with Jim Domke, starting at 8:00am and going to the north pond, circling around to the yucca meadow and returning via the ridge, ending at 10:00am. The sky was clear with a few small ragged clouds, slight breeze, and at the north pond the temperature at 8:56am was 79*F, 72% RH.

We saw a number of dragonflies as we came to the north pond, and we observed an orb-weaving spider (probably genus Neoscona, per Meghan Cassidy) working on a Pondhawk that it had caught in the web.

The north pond is an alternative spot for sampling, location on the north end of it, by the Black Willow, 32*39'56"N / 97*13'22"W / elevation 600 ft.

Five minute observation at 8:45am at the Black Willow on the north end of the pond: multiple dragonflies including the blue male Pondhawks, cricket frogs hopping on the banks and cricket frog calls at CV 1 or maybe 2; a turtle surfacing on the pond, probably Red-eared Slider; honeybee; water primrose around the pond and moderate algae on the water surface encroaching out from 10 to 30 feet toward the center.

855am - observed a small Little Brown Skink near the pond edge and got a good look at the head/forebody to be sure of the ID, but no photo (I was not able to capture it).

Yucca meadow, five minute observation at 9:35am. Bird calling, not identified, insect choruses heard, multiple dragonflies including a Neon Skimmer. There are still many yellow primroses blooming.

Walking back, along the path where there is a small opening with Glen Rose Yucca and a Sumac thicket on the other, we photographed a beetle (Acmaeodera mixta, a wood-boring beetle in the Buprestid family) on a flower, and also a stinkbug (genus Euschistus). These and other observations were added to iNat except the skink, as there was no photo.

Among the conclusions are that numerous things are spotted while moving from location to location, and if this becomes a project, it would be appropriate to include observations "on the move" as well as within 20 feet of the designated spot during the five-minute observation. Additionally, it is not realistic to sample all 5 or 6 locations in one walk, if it is to be kept shorter than two hours.

Posted on 18 June, 2020 18:34 by drawntoscales