Berry Springs Park and Preserve Herps of Texas report, 27Jan2024
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 %
