I had identified this bramble colony as R. bifrons (first time seen in DFW) from photos after I found R. pascuus for the first time in the metroplex too. I couldn't wait to go see it for myself and tick off all 5 TX species on my life list!

Picture descriptions and general notes:
1 - White abaxial leaf surfaces (general pic for ID)
STEMS
2 - Primocane #1
3 - Primocane #1 close up; nearly erect prickles with broad bases, pubescent
4 - Primocane #2; retrorse prickles
5 - Cross section of primocane #1 showing pentagonal shape
6 - Floricane #1; retrorse prickles with broad bases, pubescent
7 - Floricane #1 close up
8 - Older floricanes (#2) bicolored; red on top, green on bottom
9 - Floricane #2; features consistent with floricane #1
10/11 - Floricane #2 prickles 5mm wide and 6mm long
12/13 - Primocane prickles 4mm wide and 6mm long
14 - Stems growing densely underneath leaf canopy
LEAVES
15 - Dense leafy growth
16 - Terminal leaflet; shape: oval, base: rounded, margins: serrate, apex: caudate to attenuate; surface: not lustrous
17 - Abaxial leaf surface; petioles, petiolules, and primary veins armed; secondary veins and blade unarmed
18 - Petiole
19 - Terminal petiolule
20 - Primary and secondary veins
21 - Abaxial leaf blade white tomentose
22 - Stipules very long and narrow; Axillary bud present
23 - New leaves appear more corrugated and shinier than older leaves which are duller, less corrugated, and wider
24 - Several leaves with misshapen leaflets, or even a single oversized leaflet
GROWTH/HABIT
25 - New growth creeps along the edges, could be mistaken for vining/low habit
26 - 5 Leaflets on creeping floricanes more consistent than shrubby sections
27 - General growth habitat; between the bank of a creek and a concrete pathway; Full sun; This particular section was typically 4 ft high
28 - R. bifrons growing closest to path, with Cornus drummondii closest to the creek bank; Other nearby vegetation includes Celtis laevigata, Maclura pomifera, Salix nigra, Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica, Paspalum dilatatum, Calyptocarpus vialis
29 - Trying to estimate plant height using an isosceles right triangle based on the 6 foot wide path. Plants average 4-6 feet (12-18 dm)
30 - This particular colony of R. bifrons measured 166m along the edge
31 - Even when soil was scarce, the creeping canes would still spread thickly over the rocky ground.
32 - Soil along creek was clay over limestone
33 - USGS map indicates soil content: Thick clay units and thin limestone units alternating clay, marl, and limestone

Additional observations:

-- My first impression was this is the thickest growth, both in floricanes and leaf coverage, of any of the upright species. In heavy shade (under trees) the growth was not as thick or as tall. Probably the biggest colony of Rubus I've seen.
-- Several leaves had misshapen lateral leaflets, or a single leaflet, (1-)3-5 leaflets overall.

-- No prior season inflorescences seen at all. Nothing remaining on the stems or on the ground. (R. pascuus still has inflorescences attached at this time.)

Seen while completing plant monitoring with Steve W in the Hole-in-the-Donut, Restoration Area 2003 in Everglades National Park. Location is accurate.

More info about this amazing area here: https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/hidprogram.htm

Project that includes most of the restoration areas: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/everglades-national-park-hole-in-the-donut-restoration

All my observations from the HID today: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?on=2023-02-26&order=asc&place_id=any&user_id=joemdo

Murphy Park-Taylor, Williamson Co TX

There are about 1000 cattle egrets nesting at this location. I would appreciate input if anyone is aware of any tracking studies of egrets that would explain this bird. I have sent photos to bandedbirds.org and they have no record of any study.

Typhloelmis finegan (Barr, Gibson, and Diaz, 2015)

Collected in drift at a spring on private property. Accessed and collected with permission and permits.

This is only the second adult specimen ever collected of this species. Barr et al, 2015, described the species based on a single mature female, plus larvae.

Edit: 11/21/2019 Dr. Cheryl Barr has examined this beetle. Unfortunately, it is a female. The male of this species remains undescribed for now.

One of the rarest, if not the rarest, frogs in the United States. These two individuals were found at a site where the Arizona Game and Fish Department had reintroduced the species about two years earlier. However, it was thought that the reintroduction might have failed, because three surveys since then had not turned up any Tarahumara Frogs. This was the first known sighting of the species here since the release nearly two years earlier. Also entered in HerpMapper.org.

I'm uploading these field sketches of two goldeneyes which were studied by a group of birders at Austin's Hornsby Bend in November 1979. One of these female goldeneye's generated a lot of discussion as to the possibility of it being a Barrow's. Despite much detailed research and @greglasley's photos*, no definitive conclusion was ever reached.

• http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5105221
  The present record applies to the other female duck, a standard (if rare for the area) Common Goldeneye. Note: My sketches, done the same day, were intialed by me with the date "11/17/78" but that year is in error.

My eBird checklist for this date lists both birds as "Common Goldeneye":
http://ebird.org/ebird/tx/view/checklist/S16836222

All the same newt individual found under cover board on a cold (~4C) windy morning. After release we watched it burrow back into a little mud fissure. No cloacal swelling or tail-fin. Considering the size (1.5g, 4cm SVL), this is likely a juvenile. Owner explained that the last time they had seen any newts breeding was 2 yrs ago in this site.