Berry Springs Park and Preserve Herps of Texas report, 16Sep2023
In spite of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, there was a small group outing to Berry Springs Park and Preserve again this month.
One amphibian species was observed next to the dry main pond: Blanchard's Cricket Frog (CI = 0). The sloughs were also dry, and there were only isolated pools in the creek.
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 1.35 inches of rain over the previous two days after no rain for 3.75 months.
We heard a Common Nighthawk and saw several White-tailed Deer and a large Nine-banded Armadillo at sunset, and saw a small mammal (Nutria ?) after sunset.
The monitoring period was 19:35 - 20:35.
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, and Amy.
Environmental conditions at the main ponds at sunset:
Air temperature = 78.4 deg F
Water temperature = N/A
Sky = mostly cloudy
Water level = much below average
Relative humidity = 59 %