The Prehistoric Turtles of White Rock Lake, Dallas

If there is an exposed log in White Rock Lake, it will soon become littered with a seemingly endless number of basking turtles, both big and small. Turtles are ectothermic (cold blooded) which means that they rely on the temperature around them to regulate their body temperature. Although turtles are mainly aquatic, basking on a log or rock is a way for them to warm their bodies.

Turtles basking on a log at White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX

White Rock Lake has a number of different species of turtles: Red Eared Slider, Yellow Mud Turtle, Missouri River Cooter, the Common Snapping Turtle, and the Mississippi Mud Turtle.

The turtle in the image below is a Missouri River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna metteri). It's a strong swimmer with webbed hind feet. Their shells are dark, and some Cooters have the most exquisite, intricate yellow patterns as you can see from the image below.

This turtle was swimming in a creek that feeds Dixon Branch Creek. Luckily, the water was clear so the pattern is visible.

 

A Missouri River Cooter turtle at White Rock Lake, Dallas

Did you know that turtles are some of the oldest reptilian species on the earth?

Turtles have remained virtually unchanged for 200 million years or more, so show these critters some respect! They date back to the dinosaurs, and still retain many traits that they used to survive back then. 

Fishing is popular at White Rock Lake and quite often turtles will bite on a baited fishing hook. The poor turtle below has a fishing hook stuck in its mouth! This image was captured from a bridge in the park that spans Dixon Branch Creek.

This poor turtle in Dixon Branch Creek has a fishing
hook stuck in its mouth

Turtles may spend most of their lives in water, but they are air breathing animals and need to come to the surface to breathe from time to time, as the Red Eared Slider below is doing. This image was captured from a bridge in the park that crosses Dixon Branch Creek.

Red Eared Slider turtle coming up for air at White Rock Lake

All turtles lay eggs. It is interesting to note that with several species of turtles, temperature in the nest will determine the dominant gender of the young: warm nests producing primarily female turtles, and cooler nests producing mainly males.

Several smaller turtles sharing a tree limb in Sunset Bay
White Rock Lake

The Red Eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) seen below is a medium sized turtle that loves to bask in the sun, but is very difficult to approach. When they see you coming, they quickly disappear into the water. They have a prominent patch of red on both sides of the head. They are sometimes referred to as a “pond slider.”

Red Eared Slider turtle basking on a log at White Rock Lake

Turtles live for a long time, and some of them live for longer than 100 years.

A turtle emerges from the murky depths of Sunset Bay, intently
watched by a curious goose

Spectacular Butterflies at White Rock Lake, Dallas

Butterflies are the Very Essence of Nature


Do you remember the joy you experienced as a child every time you saw a butterfly? Can you think of anything in nature that is more qualified than a butterfly to represent freedom, beauty or tranquility?

All of these images were taken at White Rock Lake in east Dallas, Texas. Most of them were taken on the banks of Dixon Branch Creek, just before it enters the lake.

The beautiful creature below is a Common Buckeye butterfly. It is a fabulous chestnut brown with 6 bright colorful eye spots.

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

The Monarch is a spectacular species, and one of the most popular butterflies. These amazing creatures migrate to warmer climates and can travel up to 3000 miles in the process.  

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Butterflies have been around for at least 50 million years and are an important component of the Earth’s rich biodiversity. They have been studied for over 300 years.

The striking fellow below is a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta).

Dorsal view of the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) 

Butterflies have the most fascinating life-cycles. The transformation from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis is one of the great wonders of nature.

The beautiful specimen below is a Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia).

Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

Butterflies are good indicators of a healthy environment and healthy ecosystems. Based on the abundance of butterflies at the lake right now, one can only conclude that White Rock Lake is in an extremely healthy state.

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Like self-propelled flowers, butterflies flit from flower to flower adding even more color to the awesome landscape.

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

The Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)

The Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)

Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) 

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

The Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)

Sulphur Butterfly

The Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)

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Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) 

Side view of Question Mark butterflies

In the words of Rabindranath Tagore, “The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.”

Live like a butterfly!

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Restored 1940's Chevy Truck at White Rock Lake

This old magnificently restored Chevy Truck was spotted at White Rock Lake today, in the parking area in the Dixon Branch Creek, near Sunset Bay. It is a Chevrolet ½ ton short wheel base 3100 series, from the late 1940’s to the early 1950’s. The proud owners were having a picnic in the area.

The tags have been deliberately "smudged" prior to publishing these images:

Chevy ½ ton SWB 3100 series, popular in the 1940’s, early 1950’s.

A rear view of the restored Chevy

A view of the passengers side of the Chevy 3100

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Wildflowers Start Blooming at White Rock Lake

The wildflowers have just started blooming at White Rock Lake, a few days after the heavy rains earlier in the week. 

Texas has an amazing variety of wildflowers, so much so, that there have been numerous attempts to change the states nick name from the Lone Star State to the Wildflower State.

The images below were photographed today.

Looks like Lyreleaf Sage - still need to verify

The Dotted Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium pruinosum) below grows low to the ground. It has lots of long green grass-like leaves. In fact, it is a member of the Iris family. They have just started blooming at White Rock Lake. Look for these wildflowers to form a sea of blue in the coming days.

  Dotted Blue-eyed Grass belong to the Iris family.

The Showy Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) –  image below - takes two years to produce a bloom, and when it does, the flowers open in the early morning and last for only a single day. It is often called a Buttercup.

These blooms were on the bank of Dixon Branch Creek.

The Showy Primrose flowers open in the early morning and
last for only a single day.

The flowers of the Rose Verbena (Verbena canadensis) grow in clumps and have a very pleasant fragrance. The clusters of light purple flowers are a favorite source of nectar for butterflies.

Rose Verbena or Rose Vervain is also known as Large-flowered verbena or Clump verbena. The plant attracts many insect pollinators. 

This is how the plant got its name: "Rose" refers to the bright rose-purple color of the flowers; "vervain" comes from an old French name for this group of plants; "Verbena" (from Latin) - a classical name for the branches of trees used in religious rites.

The clusters of Rose Verbena flowers are a favorite
source of nectar for butterflies.

Dewberries are common and many people think of them as a weed, but the leaves can be used for a tea, and the berries are sweet and edible. They can be eaten raw, or used to make cobbler, jam, or pie.

Around March and April, the plants start to growing their white flowers that develop into small green berries. The tiny green berries grow red and then a deep purple-blue as they ripen. When the berries are ripe, they are tender and difficult to pick in any quantity without squashing them.

The white Dewberry flowers develop into small green berries. 

The Fringed Puccoon (Lithospermum incisum) is a stunning wildflower. The root has a red substance that Indians used as a dye.

Fringed Puccoon

Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) is a native of Europe and southwest Asia, but has naturalized all over the United States. It usually blooms in the spring in Texas.

The plant is a favorite of several species of butterflies, including the black swallowtail that uses it as a host plant.

Queen Anne’s Lace is an ancestor of the garden carrot.

Queen Anne’s Lace is a favorite of several species of butterflies.

Star-of-Bethlehem

Dandelions

You can view more spectacular images of wildflowers here:

Blooming Marvelous Wildflowers at White Rock Lake

Magnificent Wildflowers Add Color to White Rock Lake

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Fish Start Spawning at White Rock Lake

Thursday, March 21, 2012

It is the day after the torrents of rain and the flooding of White Rock Lake.

It’s almost as though someone has blown a whistle as a signal for the carp to start spawning. It would appear that conditions are just right for the amorous carp because Dixon Branch Creek, flowing into Sunset Bay, has become a boiling cauldron of huge fish churning up the shallow water with their “love-making” ritual.

Spawning carp in Dixon Branch Creek, flowing into Sunset Bay.

This time of year, the male carp follow the female carp in anticipation of the “big event.” Before spawning takes place, conditions need to be perfect. The biological boiling point of marsh water is about 60 degree F, and when this temperature is reached, the carp begin their spawning activity, churning up the water in the process. Clusters of carp continually breached the water, making loud splashing sounds as they did so.

The females were releasing their eggs along the sides of the inlet, amongst the submerged water plants, and the eggs were fertilized by the ever present male carp in the retinue.

Clusters of carp continually breached the water, making
loud splashing sounds as they did so. 

A female carp can lay from 100,000 to over one million eggs, depending on her age and size. The fertilized eggs attach themselves to the leaf of the plants in the water, and they will hatch 4 to 5 days later.

A couple of fishermen had their lines in the water and were amazed that the carp swimming by them paid no attention to their lines. They obviously did not know that spawning carp will not feed.

White Rock Lake is an angler’s paradise, containing 19 different types of fish, the most popular being bass, crappie, and catfish.


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Heavy Rains Lead to Flooding

Wednesday, March 20, 2012

The heavy rains of the preceding twelve hours have caused White Rock Lake to rise about three feet. The jetty in Sunset Bay is completely submerged, and the ducks are swimming where children were playing only hours before.

The jetty in Sunset Bay is completely submerged by flood water.

The engorged lake now covers the barbeque and picnic areas surrounding the lake, almost reaching the car parks closest to the lake.

The flooded lake now covers the barbeque and picnic
areas surrounding the lake. 

The land that is normally visible in the inlet area of Dixon Branch Creek is completely covered with water, and one wonders what has happened to the Water Moccasins that normally reside in that area.

Fortunately, once the rain stops, the water level subsides quickly and things soon revert to normal.


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Water Moccasins Come Out of Hibernation

Saturday, March 17, 2012

It’s that time of year when snakes come out of hibernation and you are likely to start seeing several snakes at White Rock Lake.

One needs to be extra careful walking along the banks of Dixon Branch Creek. Snakes are everywhere, especially Water Moccasins. The images below were taken on March 17, 2012.

This water moccasin has made a nest at the base of a tree
on the bank of Dixon Branch Creek

More often than not, you will see the snakes sunning themselves on branches that hang over the water, or in bushes beside the creek.

 The snakes love sunning themselves on branches
that hang over the water 

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