Early July walk

3 July 2011 I rose early and entered the NE gate at 8 AM to beat the heat of the day.
Trails in good shape without much blockage despite powerful storm down burst that hit Norman 14 June.
It has been an exceptionally hot and dry June. The Eleagnus at the jct of Escarpment trail and Pipeline was wilting with drooping leaves. There was still a pool of water 20-30 ft long N of the Elm Bridge. The East pond has shrunk to a 10 x 3 foot by 2 inch deep remnant full of trapped Gambusia. The west pond has a large dry/ mud band around the perimeter..maybe a third to a half the normal water surface. I saw one slider turtle moving on the far side. No mosquitoes at all. Few ticks. Turtle trap is where??
Crossing the Dune Trail the mystery large bird(s) I have heard recently taking off but not seen.. they were there today.. turkey vultures. There is a lot of white wash. It looks like the spot has become a regular roost for a group of 5-6 of them.
Along Woods paths there are now lots of spider webs on the ground and a good many across the trail..but not obnoxious. I saw a few Micrathena..they seem to be more late summer spiders.. including one down in the wash that looked like it was in the process of being attacked/ plucked out of its web by Sphecid Ammophila until I disrupted events.

One deer south of Escarpment black trail, three deer southeast of East Pond.

Paused for a very pleasant twenty minutes in the new flat cement drainage ditch built north of the new trash station (new station now operating). The cement ditch had lots of easily seen insects crossing to or from the Woods.. I found a large Mydas fly.. one of the largest flies in OK.. I only see once or twice every other year or so.

There was a large wolf spider hanging out on the cooler shady side with a few score young spiderlings on back.

Carabids.. Scarites.. scuttling to the top of the 7 cm high curb and then falling back and climbing again (made it second time); green and multicolor Chlaenius and black Carabus running around; and small mutillid velvet ant, scores of jelly belly sized black scarabs.. very common grass grub.. cricket nymphs, one hollowed out Tibicen cicada killed in metamorphosis; isopods, a few caterpillars and a millipede or two.