Conditions: Strong gusty winds for the past two days has continued the process of drying out the soil. Unusually dry warm weather is stunting growth of native plants. Be sure to carry water with you on the trails and keep hydrated.
Observances: Most wildlife is seeking shelter from gusty winds and venture out during the dawn and dusk hours when the wind is not as severe. Only two insects were observed during trail walk and both were spotted in the stock tank at the windmill. House Wrens, Sparrows and White-winged Dove continue to visit the feeders. Gophers remain active.
All the Prickly Pear Cactus seem to have been affected severely by the drought. None spotted showed any sign of green. Yucca plants are also in decline. Many new plants germinated by recent moisture are showing signs of stunted growth and decline within the past week.
The band of approximately 21 Mule Deer seem to have broken up, reverting to their normal behavior of living in small family units head by a doe. A solo buck was spotted yesterday still sporting his antlers which are expected to shed in the coming weeks. The small Mesquite tree above displays broken branches. More than likely, this condition was caused by bucks rubbing their antlers on it.
If you look closely, the photo above shows a trail. This is an animal trail, not a people trail. There are many of these trails crossing the property, some of them crossing the nature trails for people. A nature center strives to maintain a balance of life for wildlife and people. When people walk on animal trails it can change the behavior of the animals who use the trails.
This is one of the reasons we ask our visitors to stay on the nature trails we have blazed for people. The photo above is one of the people trails. All trails designated for people are well traveled and clearly marked as you can see. Travel off the nature trails during the drought can easily break off plants giving others an impression it is part of the nature trail system. There are many Mesquite trees on the property where thorny branches have broken off and may not always be visible in the cover of grass and weeds. The thorns on these branches can easily go right through a truck tire or the sole of a boot or shoe. Ouch!!
The area on top of the bluff is especially sensitive to off trail travel by people. As you walk the nature trails on the bluff you may notice areas with a dark crusty look to the soil. There are colonies of microbes which feed on the minerals found there. They break down the minerals and change the composition of the soil. Human footsteps can damage these colonies of microbes and can take a number of years to recover.
Animal trail or people trail? It seems to be quite clear but it is not one of our nature trails. It is more narrow and less traveled than our nature trails so it is an animal trail that has become more clearly visible due to drought conditions. Please stay off!
There are plenty of things to observe while hiking the nature trails. From the crusty microbes mentioned earlier, to animal tracks and Mule Deer droppings on or near the trail and even our resident plants and wildlife can all be found along the trails.
There are plans to expand our nature trail system. Once they have been laid out, there will be clear markings to indicate where it is safe for people to travel until the new trails become clearly established.
Enjoy your journey into Texas High Plains nature and remember to respect the native inhabitants who live here and the other folks who have come to learn and observe them.
