Toads, Bats, and Bunnies

I'm an adventurer, looking for treasure...

 ~Paulo Coelho, from The Alchemist
 

Reconnaissance Trip to the Springs:

Yesterday, in preparation for today's training with the young people, we wandered out to Berry Springs Park and took a look around. Starting early to take care of some administrative stuff, we ended up in a "close to what to expect" experience.

At the far side of the pond a bat hung out with us and flew close over and over. Perhaps we were attracting the insects he was after. More likely we were just in the right place at the right time. So often bats zip by or only show up when it is so dark one questions whether they are bats or something else. This was definitely a BAT. It was so slowly fluttery that I was reminded of all those bad vampire movies - waiting for Dracula to appear.

Small dragonflies were all over the place. Perhaps tonight we can catch some and identify them. These were flying too high for us to do anything but marvel. Perhaps we were also witnessing another migratory or pre-migratory event.

A bunny hopped by us on the trail - a cotton-tailed bunny. Fox Squirrels taunted us. Actually, I believe the squirrels are preparing for a rough winter. They are busy gathering nuts. But it is still so warm (over 90 yesterday) that it is hard to believe it will ever get cool.

Sorry, lost my train of thought for a minute. Anyway, the Fox Squirrels are favorites of Z-girl who was along for this preparatory trip. We did let her have one good run at a squirrel. She was actually quicker than I thought possible as she dragged a long leash behind. Still, the squirrel was safe in the tree, Z received a good run, and we had a good laugh (although our friend, MAM, may have been a little surprised). [We try not to be scofflaws when there are witnesses. We also mostly follow the rules. Mostly.]

After MAM headed home, DH and I headed to the pond. We observed enough plants (Frost Weed, Buffalo Gourd, and Upright Prairie Coneflowers) that the kids will have something to see in case that is all we see. We also were surprised by the number of spiders on the redbud tree at the observation area.

FINALLY we found one Gulf Coast Toad. Zelda was the one who found it. We didn't know she was a frog dog too!  As I type this, I wonder if I should have captured the thing and saved it for tonight, but we don't cheat that way. We will see frogs/toads or we won't - no cheating.

We weren't "official" so we just took photos. But Look at this little guy hopping through the "straggler daisies." [Remember that wildflower identification and you will impress your friends."

We headed back to the car and found another, but giant GCT near the parking lot. It was one of the largest I have ever seen. I tried to put my foot out for a photo, but I couldn't quite manage to get more than my toe in the photo. Anyway - two toads on Friday the 13th - that has to be a good sign.

This little lady might be the largest Gulf Coast Toad I have ever seen. I didn't have to pick her up to know she was female.

She was a big girl and tried to flatten herself down - as if she could blend into the ground.

Today we took our time preparing - checking the list of equipment. Thinking about how we would proceed. We have packed our backpacks and replaced batteries. I am looking for the mosquito repellent (they got me last night) and checking the list one last time. [If you are planning to touch the frog/toads WASH YOUR HANDS. Any place the creatures might touch should be clear of repellent as they are sensitive. I spray my ankles and pants. I tough out the rest.]

FIELD TRIP - TREASURE:

My plan upon arrival at the park was to take photos of things that might still be there at the end of the month when I am scheduled to take a hike with 30 or 40 Cub Scouts. [That almost seems like the start of a joke - but it is no joke.]

I have great examples of interpretive hikes and I plan to incorporate advice from my sister (the crazy woman who led hikes in the desert) and ideas stolen from "Ranger Susan" (I don't really know what to call her, but she was the amazing guide we had in the Burren National Park in July. She was prepared with laminated photos and guides to flowers, butterflies, and birds).

Monarchs, Queens, and Honeybees were hard at work in the garden at the entrance to the park. Wildflowers still bloom in the meadows. The Buffalo Gourd vines wind around in the meadows as well, but there are no blooms or gourds to be seen. It is late for almost everything I saw blooming and growing. It is fall. It is supposed to be fall.

Upright Prairie Coneflowers

Multiple Buffalo Gourd vines.

I love these oddly shaped leaves.

Pedro? I think this is the new donkey at BSP.

Switchgrass (one of the few I can identify.

Mealy sage

The sage gives us a nice little pop of color.

I'm thinking this is Silver Bluestem.

Cowpen Daisy - not much of a name, but a lovely flower that attracted a good deal of pollinators today.

There were Monarchs AND Queens at the Cowpen Daisy patch. I didn't realize I was capturing both species until I got home and started looking at the photos carefully. Here - Monarch.

Queen (I look for the white spots. On a Queen the spots are not all surrounded by black.)

Goldenrod

The cactus was "working alive" with these tiny beetles. I have never seen them before, but had to see if I could get photos for future id. They are Hesperolabops gelastops (fancy name for a tiny cactus bug)

The young people, parents, siblings, and volunteers arrived. We all "geared up" and divided into three teams. We only had 3 nets, so it made sense.

No snakes showed up tonight (darn) but we got an amazing view of a Great Blue Heron that flew from the far side of the pond to where we were standing on the bank of the creek. It flew low and slow. One of the JMN (Junior Master Naturalists) noticed it and we all looked up together. It was definitely a "wow moment."*

We started by listening - only two minutes of silence. I knew the frogs weren't calling and thought two minutes long enough for this group. Then the teams headed out to investigate different areas. They did an amazing job bringing back insects, crustaceans, and GULF COAST TOADS!**

A water scorpion. I don't know that I have seen them before.

After all - what is an Amphibian Watch if you don't see any amphibians? And the GCT is my favorite amphibian.***

Two were found through teamwork near the pond. One was located on the grassy incline near the parking lot. It is too much of a coincidence to ignore. It had to be the same enormous toad we saw last night. [I do appreciate the toads reading my mind and coming back tonight - for the young people and for science! You can rely on those Gulf Coast Toads. I appreciate the snakes reading my mind too.]

GCT #1 We believe it was a male.

During examination it talked a little, but not a call.

The larger toad is GCT #2. No, you don't normally put them all in together, but we needed everyone to log the observations. So next time we will have multiple buckets (what was I thinking?).

GCT #3 See how big this girl is. We were examining her throat markings (or lack thereof). [Please note the chem-light bracelet. Each team wore a different color bracelet for ease of "staying together." Ally siblings wore red. This master frog catcher was a member of the green team.

No bats showed up, but the dragonflies were busy.

Time passed quickly and we ended the evening with our "appeal to the cricket frogs." It was our own frog chorus that sounded amazing, even if the cricket frogs snubbed us and refused to reply.

Treasure found - and we will be back for more.

[I wish I could have captured the excited squeals, the exclamations of wonder, and the facial expressions at each discovery. As it is, you will have to trust me. It was magic.]


NOTES:

*I could have gone home right then, but we still had an hour of observations to make. DH had already walked to the pond and returned to where the group was gathered along the creek bank. He whispered, "there is a Great Blue Heron at the far side of the pond." It might have been nice to see it at the pond, but this "fly over" gave us a special view, if no photos.

**Hahaha! No cheating was required!

***I only recently realized that I love this warty old creature, the "frog" of my youth. We were horrible children, flooding toad holes so that we could see them and count how many were living under the corner of our driveway or in the hole in our neighbor's (Miss Judy's) yard.



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SPIDER WARNING!

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There are always spiders. I thought this was a wolf spider. The iNaturalist app said it was a false tarantula. A biologist on the site said something else. So we are going to say "spider."