The springtime chorus of frogs greeted me last weekend as I explored the woods and wetlands. The first chorus of the season is so exciting - the high pitched peeps of Spring Peepers and the duck-like chuckle of the Wood Frogs combine in a great symphony from the vernal pools. I check on them each evening, then move on to the pond to listen for the rubber-band banjo-like gunk of the Green Frog and the deep-voiced rum-rum of the Bullfrog - neither of which I've heard or spotted yet... but hope to this weekend. (The photo above, by David Preston, shows a Spring Peeper actively calling as it clings to a twig. Click on the photo to listen.) Learn more about Maine frogs and listen to their calls from this PDF of Nature Note #1.

Vernal pools (AKA: Spring pools) are generally shallow, hold water for only part of the year, and serve as essential breeding habitat for amphibians such as chorus and wood frogs, and salamanders. Very important is the fact that the pool dries up after the reliant amphibians have matured. If it did not, then bullfrogs - who overwinter as tadpoles - would be able to successfully mature in their second season and decimate the population of amphibians in the pool. This would be devastating to the vernal pool amphibians and the natural food chain of birds and mammals that they support. Vernal pools are also important to the survival of several reptile species of concern. (Vernal pool photo courtesy of Maine Department of Environmental Protection.)

Learn More and Get Involved

• Maine Amphibians and Reptiles by the University of Maine Press has long been my go-to source and it includes a great CD of frog calls.
• The Maine Amphibian & Reptile Atlas Project has a wealth of online resources. Assist in the project by submitting your sightings online or from the field through iNaturalist or Survey123. 
• Conserving Maine's Significant Wildlife Habitat - Vernal Pools by Maine Audubon.
• Learn about Maine Big Night amphibian migration monitoring. The first documented movement of amphibians this year was March 23. Details at twitter.com/MaineBigNight, on Facebook, and the excellent Maine Big Night Volunteer Training Handbook.
• Check with your local Land Trusts and conservation organizations to find out if they are involved in vernal pool monitoring and Maine Big Night.
• There is also Frog Watch USA, a program by the Akron Zoo. So, no matter where you live in the USA you can get involved with valuable community science.