- Date: 09/30/13
- Place: Blunn Creek
- Time Start: 5:00pm
- Time End: 7:20pm
- Temperature: 85 Degrees Fahrenheit
- Weather: Sunny, hardly cloudy, not humid with a nice breeze
Today I went back to my little spot late in the afternoon to continue with my project. The temperature is amazing after the rain, the sun is shining and the temperature is pleasantly cooler then the last time I came. I decided that today I would concentrate on animals instead of plants with my sight and hearing. Unlike my last trip to Blunn Creek, the preserve is bustling with activity, which unfortunately for me included a lot of mosquitoes flying around ready to bite. While walking to my spot I saw a rabbit hopping and munching on grass, I saw a few lizards, scurrying squirrels, dragonflies, fire ants, birds munching on native yaupon berries, and to my horror I saw a tarantula zip around a cactus.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202311837424314&set=vb.1442935232&type=2&theater
I suspect that the preserve was bustling with life because it had been raining during the weekend for the past two days; the plants seemed to be greener and healthier. After reaching my spot and sitting there for a while, I realize that there were hardly any animals that I could see around except for the mosquitoes, ants and occasional dragonflies. Although I could not see the animals, I could hear a diversity of birds chirping but I could also hear the sound of a football game happening in the close by high school, a dog barking and the sounds of cars on the nearby highway. I could also hear a stream that was close by which gave the preserve a peaceful atmosphere. But suddenly after an hour of observing nature, I started to hear the sounds of cicadas singing all around me. The cicada males sing to the females to find mates and they make the loudest sound out of all insects. The singing increased in crescendo and then stopping suddenly, then starting over again.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10202311324451490&set=vb.1442935232&type=2&theater
( I couldn’t put the video up so it must be cut and pasted)
I didn’t see much in the seeing department except for insects, it was quite strange considering all the animals I saw on the trail. I wonder if this spot does not get a lot of visitors because even during the last wildlife observation it was quite a dead zone. I wonder if the more shy animals are avoiding me because I’m there or if this spot really is a dead zone. I think the next time I come to collect data I will change my spot and find a fruiting tree that will probably get visitors more often.
