After the past 36 hours of good soaking rains (385/100ths inches) I went to the NW entrance to the Woods to see the ponds. They are back! The West Pond now shows 1.2 feet depth. Lolling around in the shallow warm new water was an obviously delighted big snapper turtle.. if they can ever be delighted. I imagined it breaking a four month long summer estivation.. probably hungry!
There was also a veritable swarm of dragonflies..mostly in pairs.. males holding onto females that were busy laying eggs in the water. There were several pairs of Anax junius Aeshnids and several pairs of smaller red Sympetrum.. and there were a dozen or more smaller single dragonflies chasing each other ..merry mayhem.
At the eastern pond.. all was quiet.. less water there 0.4 on the gauge.. but to my surprise there was a snapper turtle there too!
Walking back I saw a 3 toed box turtle out 20 feet west of the big pecan #122 at the south turning of the trail.
Down at the Beaver Dam water was slowly draining out of the Woods.. but the Main SW Trail was not as broadly flooded as I expected.. the water was mostly 2 meters or less wide and ankle deep. It was clear the flood had been wider but most of the inundated ground was drying out now. An excellent good drink for the trees and the soil.
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