The park in which this blog is set is called Mary Moore Searight Park. Located in South Austin, this huge park is right off of Slaughter Lane and has many running and biking trails, some streams and creeks, as well as a full 18-hole disc golf course. I have often visited this park before this project, but hopefully with this nature blog I can gain a new perspective on even my most frequented and favorite park.
In the first week of observations, we are still in the tail end of the summer months. High temperatures and low amounts of rain make for a very hot dry day in the park, and since there isn’t any big source of water, there isn’t quite a place to cool off too easily. But luckily the trees are very full and green providing good shade, when there is any in the middle of the disc golf course. An occasional wind will bring a vague cool air but that is all that the park will offer for solace in the dry heat.
As the month has gone on, it has become very gradually cooler. The mornings are much more cool now than they were at the end of August. In August, even the mornings were unbearable once the sun was up for a few hours. With in the third week of September, the beginning and end of the day show Texas’ cooler side. This comes with great relief for most people and critters in the park, as the heat won’t be around to sap all of your energy from the drier climate.
September isn’t known for being the wettest month but we have received a good amount of rain. This did well for the park, as there was a more vibrant presence of bugs and small animals. Even though I couldn’t play my usual round of disc golf as it was too muddy, the woods definitely needed the rain. The leaves showed a bright green, the brightest green they might show before the winter stunts the forest growth. Although, we will assuredly be able to keep some of the vibrancy in the woods, as most trees in central Texas are oaks, and they stay green and full most of the year.
One evening out in the park was almost a little chilly. Only a few days after some rain some rolled through, the trails were still cool and pleasant. The night was bright with sound of crickets and frogs. It was a veritable hotspot for life to grow. Birds have not yet felt a chill enough to migrate, and they demonstrated their flight patterns in a wide splendor, covering the sky just before dusk. Austin doesn’t have a very dramatic change when the fall season rolls in, but as it will draw closer to winter, Mary Moore will lull into a lower realm of activity. This park has the best feel about it after a long day of activity, being led out by a gorgeous sun
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