Blog of the El Camino Real Chapter, Texas Master Naturalists, Milam County, Texas
Author: Sue Ann (Suna) Kendall
The person behind The Hermits' Rest blog and many others. I'm a certified Texas Master Naturalist and love the nature of Milam County. I manage technical writers in Austin, help with Hearts Homes and Hands, a personal assistance service, in Cameron, and serve on three nonprofit boards. You may know me from La Leche League, knitting, iNaturalist, or Facebook. I'm interested in ALL of you!
We just received the results from an acoustic monitoring event that was performed by Dr. Paul Crump, a biologist from the Texas Park and Wildlife Department. He is a Herpetologist in the Nongame and Rare Species Program.
First of all he was checking out Milam County to look for the Houston toad. This toad was recorded in this county years ago, but not found here in the past few years.
Attaching the song meter
It was really interesting to see how this survey was done. Dr. Crump placed a recording box to a tree near our small pond at the back of our property. It is called a song meter and recorded two hours of audio every night from January 28, 2021 until June 12, 2021.
Then Dr. Trump retrieved the box and took it with him where he had the tedious job of listening to hundreds of hours of frogs and toads singing, so he could identify each species. Wow what a task! You really have to know your stuff to do it.
Song meter at work
Sadly there were no songs of the Houston toad recorded, but he did identify seven different frogs and toads! I did not know we had that many on our property. Very neat.
I hope this report does not make its way to the snakes that live near me. They will be arriving here pretty fast for lunch. I have learned more about these creatures by looking up each one of them. Thanks to Dr. Paul Crump.
I thought it had left since it had eaten my little friend. Sadly, it liked the hole the toad had wallered out and decided that it would take up residence there.
Hole, before filling in
So, now I could see its head poking out the hole under the water faucet every time I used the hose. All I could think about was it might be a girl and she would have her babies there. Not a good thing.
I didn’t want to hurt it, but it needed to go back to our woods, where the pond is. My Linda also said it must go. She would have been happy to get the shotgun and blast away. I could not let that happen.
So, all I could think to do was to remove the little area under the faucet and fill it in. Of course, the snake was in the hole while I got started. How exciting.
Tools are ready!
I put on my snake leggings, just in case it wanted to bite me. Then I got everything I might need to do this task. I got a hoe, shovel, dirt, and some rocks and put them close to the area.
Protection
Then, I lifted the flat rock that I placed there to keep the water from making a hole. As soon as I lifted it, Mr. or Mrs. Snake came flying out and lunged at me.
I had the shovel, so I flipped the snake away and started trying to scare it. I kept moving towards it and flipping it about five feet away. It actually was bucking in the air! It was both terrifying and funny at the same time.
At last, the snake finally decided I meant business and took off across the pasture. Yes!
I quickly dug out the hole and then filled it in with all the stuff I had assembled. This was last week, and so far no snake.
All covered up
Who would believe this, but it’s true. No snake was hurt during this adventure.
Keeping our gardens looking neat is something most of us do. For years, when I lived in Houston, I would use a weed eater and trim with a pair of scissors. Yes I was crazy. I thought the garden looked great!
Away with the weed eater!
So, over the years, as I learned more about nature and taking good care of it, I have altered the way I do things.
How many of you have had the awful experience of zipping along with a weed eater and cut a poor little frog in half? I can hardly write about it. But you know it happens…so what to do?
Our toad friend.
I have found a safer way to edge the garden. Yes it is a little more work, but my little friends are worth it. Use a sharp-shooter shovel and go slow. You will see the frogs and toads move before you hurt them. Then, you pull all the grass away from the edge, and it actually lasts longer than cutting the tops off the grass. I also find that if you edge after it has rained it’s even easier.
My technique. Doesn’t it look good?
Just a little tip from someone who loves all the critters.
The baby monarch caterpillar I found is now a chrysalis, along with the Wildscape guys.
Here’s Baby preparing to attach.
When they emerge, they may be the last monarchs to migrate.
Making the J shape.
They are hanging on to a silk web by a Cremaster-hook.
Chrysalis complete
I gently moved the first chrysalises and repositioned them. They must be hanging upside down and with enough space to fully open their wings. If they dry with wrinkled wings, they do not survive.
