A little girl coaxes a spotted salamander to move off the roadway during a Maine Big Night outing. Maine Big Night photo

Next month, Mainers will be able to sign up for a project that has elements of kid-pleasing science, life-saving data collection, protect-the-Earth environmentalism and the kind of eww factor common whenever cars and frogs meet.

For the eighth year, registration will take place in February for Maine Big Night: Amphibian Migration Monitoring, a statewide, after-dark affair that runs from March 15 to May 15.

The project is an outdoor-based three-fer, giving Mainers a chance to learn more about their environment while providing important information to the state and possibly saving the lives of both humans and wet wildlife. And those involved say it’s a good time too.

The Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey includes parts of Franklin and Oxford counties. MDIFW photo

“All the fun and excited faces I see in photographs of people bringing out their young kids, or even their grandparents, or whoever — I think people have a blast out there,” said Gregory LeClair, the executive director for Maine Big Night.

Maine Big Night is a nonprofit project supported by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. And while it may be one of the most engaging projects out there, it is just one of nearly a dozen “community science projects” the department is currently involved in — as well as three recently completed — that encourage the public to crowdsource information about various wildlife in Maine.

Four projects are currently ongoing: Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey (January to March 31), Maine Golden Eagle Study (year-round), Owl Pellet Project (year-round) and Rabbit Sightings (year-round but winter is ideal).

Projects at other times of the year include the Amphibian and Reptile Atlas (March to November), Bumble Bee Atlas (ongoing), Heron Observation Network (April to August), Wild Turkey August Production Project (August), Zebra Mussel Settling Plate Project (May to October), and two other deer projects (August through December).

In each case, the projects seek the public’s help with sightings and observations that help Maine scientists and planners better understand the state’s wildlife, better manage that wildlife, and in some cases save human lives.

One of the Robinson boys holds out an American toad saved from the roadway. Jasmin Robinson photo

The life of a frog

The Maine Amphibian and Reptile Atlas Project is one of MDIFW’s longest-running community science initiatives, according to department wildlife biologist Derek Yorks. Since its inception in 1984, MARAP has relied on public participation to document Maine’s 36 amphibian and reptile species.

Yorks, who specializes in reptiles and amphibians, highlighted MARAP’s focus on species distribution and phenology — how plants and animals change through the seasons.

“In addition to understanding species distributions and maybe how those change over time, we also get some really valuable data on phenology (from the public through the project),” Yorks explained. “When do frogs go on breeding migrations? When do species first emerge? How late are they active in the year? When are turtles nesting? With thousands and thousands of records, we’re getting some data points on that.”

Yorks said this information contributes to the accounts in the department’s amphibian and reptile field guide, which is being updated this year for the first time since 1999.

“We were able to say, ‘Yeah, this is the earliest we’ve seen this species breeding in Maine, and this is when we tend to see hatchlings emerge,’” he said.

MARAP’s data has additional value as climate change alters species’ behaviors.

“Those kinds of things are shifting and changing,” Yorks said, adding that public participation is a great way to document those changes quickly and how big they are.

The project welcomes submissions of both historical and current observations. Even a photo taken years ago can be useful, Yorks said.

To contribute, when you observe an amphibian or reptile species and, hopefully, snap a photo, information can be uploaded in real time to MARAP’s online survey. A phone app is available for anyone anticipating being out of service while critter searching.

“People can submit data one time or several times a year for their entire lives,” Yorks said. “And it’s just kind of more open-ended and maybe less formal than other projects.”

A spotted salamander lingers in a Maine roadway. Maine Big Night photo

‘Sometimes we feel really angry, and sometimes we cry’

The Maine Big Night: Amphibian Migration Monitoring is a separate initiative supported by MDIFW that monitors amphibian migrations. LeClair said the project is particularly vital for documenting amphibian migration routes and mitigating the impact of road traffic.

“Maine Big Night really focuses on amphibians in roadways,” LeClair said. “In springtime, frogs and salamanders migrate en masse, and many of them, unfortunately, get hit by cars. Volunteers help by gathering data on migration patterns and areas under significant pressure from traffic.”

Volunteers undergo brief online training, complete a quiz and sign a liability waiver to become certified. Participants can then choose from nearly 600 survey sites statewide to document these migrations. Signups open in February.

LeClair emphasized the value of the project for both wildlife conservation and public education.

“We’re hoping to align our data with other datasets — like those for deer, turkey, and moose — to identify overlaps and improve road safety for both wildlife and people,” LeClair said. “Road collisions with wildlife cost Maine around $300 million annually, so introducing crossing structures or culverts can be a big win for everyone.”

The project runs annually from March 15 to May 15 and families often participate together. “People have a blast out there,” LeClair said. “You can encounter hundreds of amphibians in a single night if the conditions are right. It’s a great way to engage with nature.”

A spotted salamander was saved from a busy roadway during a Maine Big Night outing. Jasmin Robinson photo

LeClair also noted that Maine Big Night has grown every year since its launch in 2018, with some volunteers returning season after season.

Jasmin Robinson of Standish and her two sons have been participating in Maine Big Night since 2021. Robinson said the project is a natural extension of her background in conservation biology and her passion for teaching her children about the importance of wildlife preservation.

“Prior to having kids, I earned a master of science degree in conservation biology,” Robinson said. “I no longer work because I homeschool my boys, but it’s important to me to stay involved in helping wildlife and to teach my kids about the importance of conservation biology. Maine Big Night is one thing we can do to make a positive difference for local wildlife.”

Robinson’s boys were 9 and 7 when they started volunteering. Now 13 and 11, they continue to join her each spring, raincoats and flashlights in tow, to help amphibians cross busy roads and collect data on their numbers.

“We do love doing the Big Night,” Robinson said. “It’s always wet and dark, so it takes a little motivation to get dressed and head out, but once we’re there, it’s so much fun to hold and interact with all the different amphibians.”

Despite the excitement of saving amphibians, the experience isn’t always easy.

“It’s hard to come across ones we didn’t save,” Robinson admitted. “Sometimes we feel really angry, and sometimes we cry. But it also makes each of those lives we do manage to save feel even more important.”

Robinson noted that while she hasn’t met other families at her monitoring sites, the project fosters a strong online community where participants share their experiences. Her advice to the public is straightforward: slow down on warm, rainy spring nights when amphibians are on the move.

“So many lives could be saved if people slowed down and were more attentive to what’s on the road,” she said. “Even better, come out and help if you can! Amphibians are super important to the health of our ecosystems, and they help keep mosquito populations down.”

An American toad rests in the roadway after avoiding a passing car during a Maine Big Night outing. Maine Big Night photo

Winter deer spotting

For Dr. Charles Rolsky, executive director and senior research scientist at the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill, Maine Big Night is more than just a volunteer activity — it’s a mission. He and his wife, who works in science education, have been avid supporters of the program since they first learned about it.

“As soon as we heard about MBN, we wanted to get involved,” Rolsky said. “It started as something we did on our own, but is now something we also incorporate into what we do at work.”

Last year, Rolsky and the Shaw Institute collaborated with the members of Girl Scout Troop 823 to help them earn a badge through their participation in MBN. “The girls had an amazing time,” he said. “We were able to save so many amphibians that night, and they totally persevered even in less-than-ideal weather.”

Rolsky is looking forward to this year’s season, which he hopes will involve multiple events and include schools and other organizations. “Through MBN, people of all ages can learn about the importance of amphibians, what vernal pools are, and why it’s critical that we help the amphibians cross the road as they go to and from these pools.”

Amphibians are one of the most threatened groups of animals on the planet, Rolsky noted. “Anything we can do to help and educate others in doing so will be a priority for us, both privately and through work.”

The organizers and scientists behind MDIFW’s other projects see similarly significant benefits from the crowd-sourced information they get.

Nathan Bieber, a deer biologist with MDIFW, oversees three deer projects: Deer Spy (Aug. 1 to Sept. 30), Rut Watch (Oct. 1 to Dec. 31) and the Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey, all of which gather data from the public to help guide conservation and management efforts.

The Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey gives residents and visitors the opportunity to offer information on deer sightings in the following zones. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife

The currently running Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey, now in its first year, is designed to leverage observations from winter recreationists and workers in Maine’s northern forests. The project aims to uncover new areas where deer congregate during winter months. The project includes the reaches of Oxford and Franklin counties.

“We’ve gained access to some additional funding options for acquiring and managing deer wintering habitat,” Bieber said. “This survey allows people like snowmobilers, ice fishers, and others in the winter woods to report observations of wintering deer. These reports might help us identify areas that we don’t already know about, which could inform or direct our efforts to acquire and manage deer wintering habitat.”

MDIFW has reached out to the public through various channels, including survey links sent to snowmobile registrants and information distributed to conservation and snowmobile clubs. Regional biologists, game wardens, and forestry professionals were also tapped to help spread the word about the initiative.

While participation levels are still uncertain with the deer wintering project, being the program’s first year, Bieber expressed optimism.

“People like to watch deer and seem generally willing to send in data if it doesn’t take too long,” Bieber said. “Our survey takes just 2 or 3 minutes.”

For more information about the Northern Maine Wintering Deer Survey or to contribute your observations, visit the project’s webpage: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/species-information/mammals/maine-deer-spy/winter-deer-survey.html.

To see all the projects, go to https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/community-science-projects/.