Vernal pools/ponds.

[IkemanTx]

The family farm has some vernal pools dating back to the late 1800’s. My strongest memory of them is walking up on one with hundreds and hundreds of birds going absolutely crazy wading, diving, and dive bombing it. I had never seen anything like it, and couldn’t imagine a reason for it. I waded into it a bit to find it filled to the brim with fairy shrimp.
I never knew those things existed either!


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[j-bird]

So I have this 1 area that is sort of like a small ox bow. It low and collects water during heavy rains. It will retain water for a few weeks sometimes and the frogs seem to really like it..... It gets about knee deep or so.....and isn't but 10 yards wide, but is maybe 100 yards long. I get a lot of stilt grass that grows in this area (which I got like and is mostly the "grass" you see in the pics) as well as cottonwood and other water loving trees. I tend to cut the trees from time to time and simply leave the brush piles at the edge of the water or actually in the water. The open areas around this area will be weeds and switchgrass. I figured the brush may help the frogs and other critters hide and do their thing a little better. Is there anything I should be doing???