weathergaltx's Journal

We got a break in the weather this month. What a huge temperature difference from February!! It was a pleasant night, although rushing water did impact our ability to hear well.
Had several rain events earlier in the week so the the water was overflowing the dam at least 1/2 inch deep. There were still lots of thick algal mats in the lake above the dam and plenty had washed over the top and were collecting on the cement/limestone streambed below the dam.

Five of us monitored this month - thanks to Kathy, Bill, Myra and Carolyn for coming out.

Environmental Conditions (at 18:35):
Air Temp: 27.0C
Water Temp: 24.0C
Sky: 0 (clear)
Water Level: MAA ++ (Much Above Average - Overflowing)
Relative Humidity: 52%

General Observations:
Deer were cruising the lower stream bed as usual. There were a few swifts and bats taking advantage of some early season insects hovering over the water above the dam.

Amphibian Watch Report:
The Blanchard's Cricket Frogs stole the show, dominating the entire monitoring period. We heard and recorded waves of C3 full chorus calling which started intermittently early in the hour and grew to continuous calling by the time we left.
We visited the limestone wall during the last 15 minutes and took pix of Gulf Coast Toads (C0).
After the officialy monitoring hour, Kathy and I walked to the aereated retention pond to record individual Rio Grande Leopard Frogs (C1). They were just so loud that we couldn't resist!

What is up with our weather this year!! Sheesh. Unseasonably cool, not a cold as February, but definitely a surprise after a nice March outing. Again, like last month, we had a major rain event earlier in the week and rushing water impacted our ability to hear as well as we wanted. Anything calling in the distance would be missed.
Overflow at the dam was extreme, rushing over nearly the entire length of the dam at a depth of 1 to 2 inches Algal mats were gone from the lake above the dam, having washed over the dam top and not even collecting on the cement/limestone stream bed below the dam. That lower creek bed was still flowing bank to bank 3 to 5 inches deep.

This was a special event. We planned for months to have the teams which monitor in south Austin come up to Lake Creek for a visit. The pre-monitoring meal was fabulous. We swapped stories and got reacquainted over Texas comfort food at Kirby Lane North.

We had nine people monitoring - thanks to Kathy and Bill for coming out to co-host our visitors: Jerry Mayfield, Maggie Mayfield, Terrell Moody, Marcia Sims, Josh Henslee, and Jackie Davis.

Environmental Conditions (at 19:55):
Air Temp: 17.7C
Water Temp: 19.1C
Sky: 0 (clear)
Water Level: MAA ++ (Much Above Average - Overflowing)
Relative Humidity: 24%

General Observations:
Since it had rained, we had hopes for seeing water snakes 'fishing' again at the bottom of the dam apron. They have been very clever at waiting in the cracks and riffles for small fish to wash over the dam and helplessly get flushed down the cement. Hmmm, nobody there. Too deep and too fast yet??

Amphibian/Herp Watch Report:
A few Blanchard's Cricket Frogs called occasionally (C1), just often enough for us to get recordings during monitoring period. We heard two different Bullfrogs call, opposite sides of the lake, but did not get recordings. We also heard at least two individual Rio Grande Leopard Frogs call just a few times, again too short and intermittent to get recordings.
We did not visit the limestone wall after the hour monitoring period , since our guests had a long drive ahead to get back home.
Kathy did pick up another Rough Earth Snake beside the sidewalk on the way back to the cars, and we have pictures to share.

It was a fun evening with our guests, but we did not have the customary richness of either amphibs, herps, or other evening sightings that we would normally share on an April night.
Better luch next year when we host another "Invitational".

Thanks you so much Kathy for leading the May watch while I was out of the country.
Basics:
The monitoring period was 20:15 - 21:45.
Six species of amphibs detected and two herps!!
Participants were Kathy, Carolyn, Ruthann, and Reggie.
Environmental conditions at the creek at sunset:

• Air temperature = 82.9 deg F
• Water temperature = 80 deg F
• Sky = No/few clouds
• Water level = Average
• Relative humidity at sunset = 41 %

Here is the link to her excellent report with pix and recordings:
https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/k_mccormack/16518-lake-creek-dam-herps-of-texas-report-12may2018

Welcome back to Texas for me! Nice to see how Lake Creek is doing after being half-way across the world. It certainly warmed up in the last month (a cruel understatement).

Five of us gathered at the dam for monitoring - thanks Kathy, Myra, Carolyn and Jennifer Whaley for joining me.

Environmental Conditions (at 20:30):
Air Temp: 27.7C
Water Temp: 31.5C
Sky: 0 (clear)
Water Level: AA (Above Average)
Relative Humidity: 65%

General Observations:
Plenty of insects out over the water for the swallows and bats. When is became completely dark, the Giant Walkingstick pairs started to appear on the sidewalks, always below overhanging trees.

Amphibian/Herp Watch Report:
This was Green Tree Frog night. It is pretty rare for this species to dominate the soundscape at Lake Creek. Normally at this time of year the B. Cricket Frogs drown out everything with a continuous racket. Not so this time, with no calls detected at all!! The Green Tree Frogs were calling up to overlapping (C2) in trees between the lake and the neighborhood sidewalk. We also heard one of those darned Bullfrogs calling again, so rarely that we could not get a recording.
We noticed several large water snakes fishing on the shallow face of the dam, and all took pix of one Diamondbacked Watersnake for the record.
The limestone wall did not disappoint. It was dry and most cracks were full of cobwebs and leaf/grass clipping litter. Saw no chirping frogs for the first time in months. However, there was a bonus.
We found a large Gulf Coast Toad on a block ledge that sat a pose for pix. I tried a little "pet" with one finger and (s)he reared up, but stayed in place. We spent at least 10 minutes running index fingers down (her) back and taking photos. Never seen anything like it. See a series of funny shots here.

Our central Texas region had been a lucky recipient of scattered showers during the first two week of this month. In fact, July 4 festivities were 'rained out' for many folks. The rains however were very spotty, with some of us getting 3-4 inches and others only a trace.

Six of us gathered at the dam for monitoring - thanks Kathy, Carolyn, Jennifer, Paula and RuthAnn for joining me.

Environmental Conditions (at 20:35):
Air Temp: 30.1C
Water Temp: 34.3C
Sky: 0 (clear)
Water Level: MAA++ (Much Above Average - Overflowing) - several narrow streams were still overflowing the dam.

Relative Humidity: 60%

General Observations:
There was plenty of stranded algal matting on the dam, left over from earlier flooding. There were massive debris piles along the banks up to 3 feet higher than the current normal water level. During the rains, a huge amount of water roared over that dam and carried a lot of brush and reeds downstream.
Some of us had arrived early hoping to spot the juvenile Roseate Spoonbill that had been photographed at the dam earlier in the week. No spoonbill. Again this month we saw swarms of insects out over the water for the swallows and bats. When is became completely dark, the Giant Walkingstick pairs again started to appear on the sidewalks and in the grass, always below overhanging trees. We are seeing more walkingsticks, more months in a row every year; most interesting.

Amphibian/Herp Watch Report:
This was a fairly quiet night at Lake Creek. The B. Cricket Frogs called in small groups intermittently, just often enough to to get faint documentation recordings (Weak C3). The Green Tree Frogs started calling late, finally getting up to overlapping (C2) in trees between the lake and the neighborhood sidewalk. Our visit to the limestone wall yielded the expected fat and happy Gulf Coast Toads, and we also got photos of several Chirping Frogs.
The most prominent sightings this month were water snakes. We saw six or eight individuals during the hour. The activity seemed unusually high, with constant swimming and constant high-speed 'fishing'. They are clearly masters at finding shallows and potholes full of stranded fish. All took pix of several Diamondbackeds as well as Blotched for the record.
In all, two herp species and four amphibian species documented for this month.