drawntoscales's Journal

This walk was sort of a "test drive" for an idea in which I would visit about weekly, stopping at several predetermined destinations and observe for five minutes (and I would record observations in between as well).

First stop: 10:00am, 32*39'40"N; 97*13'25"W - pollinator meadow at a bench under a cedar elm. I took some reference photos of surrounding vegetation, including a Silverleaf Nightshade growing up through the grid of the bench. There is a mixture of Galliardia, Mexican Hats, some Lemon Beebalm, and Johnson Grass.

Second stop: 10:24am, 32*39'43"N; 97*13'21"W, 600 feet elevation. 84*F, 44%RH. This was the smallest pond, with water level getting low and tremendous growth of Water Primrose at the margins. Reference photos should show oak, Little Bluestem, Hedge Parsley, other plants. A nearby Northern Cardinal was calling "cheer-cheer-cheer-chip-chip chip-chip" (recorded)

Walking to the trailhead I photographed a Blue Jay.

Third stop: 10:50am, 32*39'47"N; 97*13'21"W, 650 feet elevation. 85*F, 44%RH. I stopped a few feet off the trail on a rogue trail, in oak woodland with closed canopy. The sky is mostly clear, with a few puffy clouds and very little breeze. There is very little breeze. Photos will show Virginia Creeper, Poison Ivy, Blackjack Oak and I believe Post Oak, with yucca, Bull Nettle, honeysuckle and other plants. There is a nearby funnel-web spider.

Fourth stop: 11:10am, 32*39'52"N; 97*13'18"W, 670 feet elevation. 88*F, 44%RH. This spot is on the ridge, where the small loop trail begins - it is a tiny pocket prairie of Little Bluestem. Photos of oak, juniper, Engelmann's Daisy, a small Mesquite, prickly pear, other plants. A Great Egret flew past nearby, and birdcalls may have been from a chickadee.

Fifth stop: 11:36am, 32*39'53"N; 97*13'9"W, 650 feet elevation. 95*F, 47%RH. I am setting the thermometer in shade each time, but here in the yucca meadow the best I could find was in a little shade from a shrubby little oak. The Comanche Harvester Ants are active around the opening to the colony but probably not out foraging. Observed honeybees in beebalm, a couple of large yellow and brown banded Polistes wasps, a Widow Skimmer dragonfly, and a small tan grasshopper. I recorded some insect choruses.

The last stop was a possible alternative location but no photos or observations today. It is at 32*39'50"N; 97*13'13"W, 640 feet elevation. This was just off the trail east of the boulders in a small glade of wildflowers and Glen Rose Yucca. Opposite the trail is a sumac thicket.

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.