2006 Spring Field Meet

Griffith League Ranch, Bastrop County

24 -26 March

    Well, to remark on how herps and temps are related, you would have to been out with us this past March.  Temps on arrival were not too bad (for sleeping in a mummy bag) being 55 F, but the cold came quickly, dropping to 32 F that night.  The next day was predictably cool with temps finally reaching 66 F by the middle of the afternoon.  That night was pretty chilly with a hard freeze, reaching 26 F.  It was good coffee weather on Sunday morning.

    All in all, it speaks to the skills of our membership when you review the list of specimens collected against that environmental challenge.  Two areas were searched on Saturday, with amphibians surveys conducted on Friday night (but the temps dropped too quickly on us to do much good)  We were able to work the Griffith League Ranch, in Bastrop County and another property in Lee County.  The Capitol Area Council-Boy Scouts of America hosted us on the GLR and Pines and Prairies Land Trust hosted us on their Knobbs Preserve up in Lee County.

Species List:

Acris crepitans

Rana sphenocephala (heard only)

Cnemidophorus sexlineatus (observed)

Sceloporus olivaceous

Sceloporus undulatus (many)

Scincella lateralis

Chelydra serpentina

Trachemys scripta

Agkistrodon contortrix

Elaphe obsoleta

Heterodon platirhinos

Masticophis flagellum

Sonora semiannulata

Thamnophis proximus