Submissions

It's been a while since I last set foot on the hallowed grounds of Gault. In my absence, submissions are welcome from anyone who would like to share their Natural Gault experiences. Email to sph1@email.com.
Here are a few from the last few months...

 Robert Lassen provided this shot of a Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis).

 Mike Collins found this queen butterfly frolicking among the frostweed.

Mike also documented the effects of drought on the bur oak acorns from this year (right three) versus last year (left one).

 The drought has also weakened many trees across the site, including those that fell around the portable toilet at the trail head. Of course, the longhorns welcomed the banquet...Photo above from Robert Lassen, photo to right from Mike Collins.

So Tiny

Our screening area is being overrun by baby cricket frogs... only you wouldn't know it unless you look really closely. They're sooo small!

Summer colors

Horsemint and prairie coneflowers are providing some welcome decor to spruce up our poor old tent...

Drying out

Gault is drying out for the summer, just in time as we bring Area 15 to a close. This morning, this fellow was looking for a new water hole... following the trail to the tent. We may see it in the water-filled flutes in the bedrock tomorrow morning. We had enough moisture this spring to allow the horse cripplers, aka candy cactus, to produce plump fruit. Might try some tomorrow.

Armor is "in"

Here are a few of the locals modeling their fashionable self-grown armor this past Wednesday at Gault.

Turning up the heat

Summer is right around the corner, and our 90+ degree temperatures the last few days have been a reminder of what's to come. Though we have had intermittent rains, we are still in a severe drought here, as the willow that hangs over Buttermilk Creek will testify. This is the first year anyone can remember that there was no water beneath the willow.

Cacti continue to bloom throughout Gault, with lace cacti taking turns with their short-lived blooms (the one pictured below was especially ambitious), and prickley pear showing off their big yellow flowers.

The killdeer couple decided to lay eggs in the upper pasture. Thanks Howard and Doris, for bringing these to my attention. Killdeer lay their eggs directly on the ground, and lure potential predators away by feigning a broken wing.

Lace Cacti Blooming

Finally caught the lace cacti in bloom! Had missed them for the last few years, since the flowers only last one day...

One Dry Spring

Taken back on March 20, this lone bluebonnet was finally joined by a few others yesterday. Far from the dozens of blooms we had last year at this time. We are managing to green up a bit in this dry spring, though.



Cacti are budding, and hopefully I won't miss the lace cacti blooms this year...

Our resident red-shouldered hawk decided to show off its red shoulders yesterday.

Happy Bird-day!

Three birds and a fox ... not bad for a late February morning. Photos are on the appropriate pages (since they are all first-timers here).

The Groundhog in PA was right...

Spring is springing up at Gault. The plum along the lane began blooming last week, and we have many buds forming on trees in the valley.

Winter View

We've had a few cold mornings, but overall it's been a very mild winter at Gault. Of course the tent could have done better with less wind...