Turtle and Rains Return

After a recent record 70 consecutive days without > 0.1 inch precip, the rains returned Thursday Aug 16 with a good 0.48 inch freshet (my backyard) or 0.26 (Norman Mesonet). I went walking with Lara on the 17th at 8 AM from the NW Ponds entrance. Spotted two whitetailed deer. The Western Wash was filled with water to 18 inch depth at the post above the Elm Bridge. The ponds were both empty but life was returning.

We walked 70% of the Woods' trails. We met Cassie downloading data from Heather M.'s trees and talked about bark characters distinguishing American elm (brown and gold or cream sandwich alternation of color in cross section) from slippery elm (just brown or red brown).

I returned with a saw and cut away 2-3 largish fallen trees blocking the Northern Loop trail and the SE and SCentral trails. 'World class' chiggers afterwards >100 bites.

The large yellow acridid Melanoplus differentialis grasshoppers on the south boundary road in the 2-3 m tall ragweed were abundant.

More rain 1.50 inches (my backyard) 1.14 (Mesonet) Friday 18 August pushed the depth in the Western Wash to 34 inches, just below the bottom of the Elm Bridge log. Soil 2-3 inches down was still dry, almost powdery. It had become hydrophobic through long baking.

Today Saturday the 25th I walked in the SW Gate along the South Boundary Trail and up to and along the West trail. Need to bring in stepping stones for section that will be wet.. and blue blaze trail trees on the West Trail.
Also walked in the NE entrance down to Elm Bridge and out to Fence Corner. The Western Wash was empty.. lots of deer tracks deep in the soft bottom. Along the EW Trail just west of the fallen pecan log there was a three toed box turtle. I clipped branches along the way.