Things are starting to spring, and even sing! Our minds often start thinking of spring as birds return to Maine. However, the arrival of Red-winged Blackbirds and Woodcocks are also phenological indicators of something completely different – BIG NIGHT!!! Maine’s incredible reptiles and amphibians, or “herps” as we affectionately call the subjects of herpetology, have survived another tough Maine winter thanks to incredible adaptations over millennia.
Now, as water bodies thaw and nighttime low temperatures rise, the frogs, salamanders, and turtles that have overwintered around us will feel the urge to return to the vernal pool, pond, or lake where they were spawned. That trip, sometimes across a mile of dry land, is always perilous for aquatic animals, and many will also encounter roads and the hazards they present.
Big Night, or more often “Nights,” is when there is a large spike in the numbers of amphibians on the move, usually on the first warm rainy night in late March or early April. On these nights, all of us can experience this phenomenon AND help these native critters thrive. Our Big Night Week of activities is designed to get you knowing and going!
The knowing part starts Friday evening (March 25), when we host a free webinar with Greg Leclair, founder of the Maine Big Night project, a community science project to track Maine’s amphibian migration. You can register for that program here, and find out what is happening, who is watching, and how you can get involved. Maine Audubon is also a gear host for Big Night.
On Tuesday, March 29, we have two fun-filled “herps” programs for all ages. At noon, we’ll Zoom into Center For Wildlife, a fantastic wildlife rescue, rehab, and education center in Cape Neddick. Kristen Lamb and her team will discuss Maine’s vernal pools, and introduce us to several of their live animal ambassadors on screen. Take a lunch break with your coworkers and watch, or tune in with your classroom or childcare. Register here for this pay-what-you-can online program.
Use what you learn at lunchtime to play trivia games! Also on Tuesday, March 29, at 4 pm, we’ll host the return of Online Family Trivia and its Big Night Edition. Maine Audubon educators Molly Woodring and Catherine Griset are ready to try to stump you with some fascinating facts about Maine’s reptiles and amphibians.
Our interactive outdoor storytime program, Read & Ramble, will also have a Big Night theme on April 2. Geared toward children ages 2-5 and their grown-ups, the program starts with a story and then we set you up with a self-guided activity on the trails and herps will be the star of the show.
Lastly, the wonderful book Maine’s Amphibians & Reptiles, co-authored by Maine Audubon’s own Director of Conservation Sally Stockwell, is getting updated and refreshed. The second edition is currently being revised with publication planned for early 2024 and will be available in bookstores, including Maine Audubon’s Nature Stores.
Have a great Big Week!
