Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring

#Communityscience project in Maine focused on migratory #amphibians in roads | 11,979 amphibians safely moved across the road | Tweets by @ConBioGreg |

[✨A fox @foxwiing]

It’s a big night for me…🦎✨

@MaineBigNight

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Many areas are dry tonight, but the wet morning and warm temps this evening appear to have been enough to get things moving!

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Great to see this coverage, including our own project as well as our sister projects in New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey! Big night projects are a growing phenomenon! https://t.co/W0Oq7JkVcL

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Tracking Thursday 4/6 as a potential night for our third migration night of the season. If rain holds into the evening, it could be a big one!

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

📸 = Asia Eaton

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Second migration of the season confirmed tonight! Most of the state saw drying and cooling conditions, but once again coastal Maine seems to have lucked out and drawn a good movement of spotties, Wood Frogs, and peepers. Peepers and Wood Frogs are also now chorusing in York co.

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Saturday 4/1 has a *chance* of movement - if rain persists into the night in your area, keep an eye out for any amphibians moving!

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

We have movement confirmed! Anything from spotted salamanders and wood frogs to four-toed salamanders and green frogs were seen tonight! The first documented movement of amphibians in Maine’s 2023 season is officially March 23rd!

[Down East Magazine @MagazineofMaine]

In the spring, on nights when conditions are right — mid­-40s, rainy — frogs, toads, and salamanders are on the move, often crossing roadways. According to @MaineBigNight data, about one of every three amphibians crossing a road gets run over. https://t.co/recQM2qnWW

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Matter of fact we are already a week behind last year; in 2022, our first amphibians moved on March 17th!

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Tonight could be our first movement of amphibians this season! If you’ve had significant thawing/snow melt in the woods near you and it rains this evening, odds are high that our earliest amphibians can begin moving!

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

We are only two days from the season officially opening for data collection! Given the snowpack in much of the state, it is highly unlikely we’ll get movement anytime soon but in the meantime, be sure to get certified and adopt your sites! Link to our website in our bio!

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Yo new map just dropped

What trends do you notice?

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

2023 signup materials are live! Reminder that if you were certified AND submitted data last year, you do not need to retake training, but everyone must submit a 2023 waiver: https://t.co/zyuACr0h8e

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Cross your fingers that we see some underpasses installed in the next few years!

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

Although amphibians are down for the year, the ball is still rolling for us! We just submitted a list of 29 priority sites to the Maine government agencies for wildlife crossing infrastructure.

[Maine Big Night - Amphibian Migration Monitoring @MaineBigNight]

What's in between those two populations? Yup, those wetlands, which have just a few roads cutting through them (5 priority sites noted above are in yellow). Bangor is to the southwest and UMaine is visible in the east.