Maryland Amphibian &
Reptile Atlas
A Joint Project of The Natural History Society of Maryland, Inc.
& the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
April 2013 Newsletter
Hello!
Amphibians and reptiles have been on the move this month! Painted Turtles, Northern Redbellied Cooters, Spotted Turtles, Northern Brownsnakes, Northern Black Racers, and Eastern
Ratsnakes have been reported recently. Not to be outdone, Eastern Redbacked Salamanders,
Northern Dusky Salamanders, Northern Red Salamanders, Northern Two-lined Salamanders,
Eastern Spadefoots, Eastern American Toads, and Fowler’s Toads are a few of the amphibian
species recently sighted. What have you seen? Be sure to share what you have seen on the
Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/MDHerpAtlas). Also check out the new
Facebook page for Garrett County (https://www.facebook.com/GarrettCountyHerpAtlas).
Did you catch the Baltimore Sun article about the MARA project that ran on Easter Sunday? If
not, have a look (http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/maryland-health/bs-hs-frog-map20130329,0,2526043.story?page=1). There was also an article about the MARA project written
by George Jett, Charles County Coordinator, featured in the May edition of The Osprey.
Lynn Davidson presented a poster about the MARA project at the Biodiversity without
Boundaries Conference in Baltimore on April 15th.
Heather Cunningham and Marie Beckey promoted the MARA project at the Reptile Festival at
the Delmarva Discovery Center in Pocomoke on April 13th. Heather Cunningham, David
Smith, and Wayne Hildebrand also promoted the MARA project during Nature Fest at
Cactoctin Creek Park & Nature Center in Middletown on April 20th.
Just as a reminder, data from 2013 can be entered into the database throughout the year
(https://webapps02.dnr.state.md.us/mara/default.aspx). If you do not select “Send to QC”
your data sheet will remain “open” allowing you to add coverage and species information.
Incidental data may be submitted at http://marylandnaturalist.org/submit-mara-record/. This is
for incidental data only. Also, it should not be used by regular participants who already enter
data directly into the MARA database.
The MARA website has been updated recently. Maryland activity calendars for salamanders and
snakes have been added. Thanks to Rachel Gauza and Scott Smith for compiling these
calendars.
Happy Herping!
Heather Cunningham
Statewide Coordinator
An account of an effective road cruise
By Lance Benedict, Montgomery County Co-coordinator
While Boston was in lock-down mode on Friday night (4/19), herps were out in force in
Charles County after a strong storm system moved through around 6pm. After the violent
part of the storm passed, a light to moderate rain ensued and temperatures remained above
55oF through 11pm. It proved to be a banner night for amphibian road cruising, which has
been often touted in this newsletter as an effective means of herping.
This effectiveness has not always been easy to translate into MARA records because the
nature of road cruising often takes one on a circuitous course through multiple blocks. It’s
important at all times to know exactly which block you are in and what species are needed.
If not, you might waste your time recording 30 Northern Green Frogs in the same block,
while in the next block over, a prize find has just exited the road surface. Now with the
tinyurl block map [http://tinyurl.com/maramap] and the online data base
[https://webapps02.dnr.state.md.us/mara/default.aspx], it’s a cinch with a smartphone to
keep track of where you are in real time and quickly check which species are either lacking
completely or yet to be verified in that block.
In my case, I chose to use the smartphone mainly for the map function, while on the
passenger’s seat I kept pre-printed lists of species for the main blocks I intended to pass
through. In the course of just 3 hours I had compiled 30 records (25 new, 5 upgrades to
“confirmed” status) representing 14 species in 8 blocks. While I was driving I had my GPS
receiver continuously on so that I could quickly take a GPS reading for each record. Thus I
was able to later double check the block ID for each record as I entered them into the
online database.
I should mention here that to make life easy for the Verification Committee and to
maximize my chances of having each entry confirmed, I used photos that best showed the
identifying characters of each species, not the most artistic, and then cropped the photos as
much as possible. (Remember that the Verification Database resizes to a max resolution of
1600 pixels, so you don’t want to submit a huge photo with a tiny herp in the middle.) I
also tried to keep recordings under 15 seconds.
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Entry was all accomplished by Saturday night and by Sunday morning, the Verification
Committee members were greeted by the following mass of thumbnails in the Charles County
section of the review site.
The collection of amphibians and reptiles encountered by Lance during his evening road cruising. This is a
screen capture of the screen MARA reviewers see when they login to the verification site to begin reviewing
records.
With the project in its 4th year of 5 and over 20,000 records compiled, the time of road
cruising 30 new records in a single night may be nearing an end, but anytime there is a rare
weather event, it’s always worthwhile to get out and herp. Since these events only happen a
few times a year, the smartphone mapping application and online database help make the
most of those banner nights.
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2013 Year of the Snake
2013 is the Year of the Snake.
The snake is one of the 12-year cycle animals
that appears in the Chinese Zodiac and the
related Chinese Calendar. The snake is the
sixth sign in the Chinese Zodiac. Of the
animal signs, the snake is enigmatic, intuitive,
introspective, refined and collected.
Why is 2013 considered the year of the snake?
Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus,
Photograph by Lance Benedict
The order of the animals in the 12-year cycle
is specific. There are several legends that explain the origin of the order of animals.
According to ‘The Great Race’ legend, a meeting was called by the Jade Emperor. In order
to reach the meeting the animals had to cross a great river. The order of the animals
arriving at the meeting corresponds to the order in which they appear in the cycle. The
snake hitched a ride in the horse’s hoof; unbeknown to the horse. At the sudden appearance
of the snake, once they crossed the river, the horse startled and fell back. Thus, the snake
arrived sixth and was given the sixth spot in the cycle.
Incidentally, Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC) is celebrating 2013 as
the Year of the Snake (http://www.parcplace.org/news-a-events/2013-year-of-thesnake.html). They have some great newsletters with all kinds of information about snakes.
Northern Brownsnake, Storeria
dekayi, Montgomery County.
Photograph by Matthew Kirby
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Closing gaps
Starting this month, we will be including result maps of wide-spread species that should be
found in many quads across the state. The maps are shown at the block level. Lets see if we
can close some gaps! The first two species could be considered ‘under-reported’ based on
their expected distribution. Of course, there are habitat considerations.
Photograph by Heather Cunningham
Northern Redbellied Cooter
This is a large basking turtle. The turtle has a domed shell, a reddish plastron, and few stripes on its head. It has
less yellow on its head than a Painted Turtle. Look for these turtles around deep aquatic habitats including lakes,
streams, marshes, ponds, and reservoirs. They are very fond of basking and can often be seen sunning on a log
or stump. Keep in mind, they are shy and will quickly swim away if you get too close. Binoculars can be a big
help!
Photograph by Heather Cunningham
Northern
Brownsnake
One of Maryland’s small snakes, the Northern Browsnake has keeled scales and large eyes. Coloration ranges
from gray to brown. A mid-dorsal light line runs the length of the body and is bordered by dark spots. There is
a dark vertical streak on each side of the head. Look for these snakes under loose stones, logs, and debris in old
fields, vacant parking lots, marshes, and forests. These snakes can also be encountered in urban areas.
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Closing gaps
Common Species
The following two species are common species.
Photograph by Chris Swarth
Eastern Ratsnake
Eastern Ratsnakes are often the long black snake you see on roadways. These are also the snakes that tend to
make their way into homes! Eastern Ratsnakes are large snakes with weakly keeled scales. They are black with a
white, checkered belly. They are great climbers and will raid birdhouses. They can be encountered in sheds,
barns, basements, etc. Be sure to look up to the rafters in old buildings!
Photograph by Heather Cunningham
Spring Peeper
These are small frogs with a high-pitched, ‘peep’ call. In a chorus, they can sound like sleigh bells. They are
brown to reddish brown in color with dark markings on its back that often form an X. Spring Peepers can be
found in woodlands, especially in small trees or vegetation near small, temporary ponds or semi-permanent
swamps. Look around in the litter and vegetation along the banks of ponds and vernal pools. This species can
also be encountered while road cruising on rainy nights.
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Field Notes
Late April—Mid-May Amphibian and Reptile Watchlist
Salamanders
Red-spotted Newt
Eastern Redbacked Salamander
Wehrle’s Salamander
Northern Slimy Salamander
Valley and Ridge Salamander
Seal Salamander
Northern Dusky Salamander
Northern Red Salamander
Northern Spring Salamander
Northern Two-lined Salamander
Long-tailed Salamander
Four-toed Salamander
Green Salamander
Northern Spring Salamander, Gyrinophilus
porphyriticus, Northern Red Salamander, Pseudotriton
ruber, Photograph by Matthew Kirby.
Reference(s):
-Active Season for Maryland Salamanders, compiled by Heather Cunningham and Rachel Gauza
-Kyle Loucks, Nate Nazdrowicz, and Ed Thompson, personal communication.
Frogs & Toads
Eastern Spadefoot
Eastern American Toad
Fowler’s Toad
Upland Chorus Frog
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Spring Peeper
Mountain Chorus Frog
Eastern Cricket Frog
Green Treefrog
Cope’s Gray Treefrog
Gray Treefrog
Barking Treefrog
Carpenter Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Pickerel Frog
Northern Green Frog
American Bullfrog
Eastern Spadefoot, Scaphiopus holbrookii, Charles
County. Photograph by Matthew Kirby.
*Please remember temperature and precipitation can affect calling (i.e., induce or
suppress). Typically warm rainy evenings with little wind is best for calling. Also tadpoles
of other species may still be encountered.
Reference(s):
-Active Season for Maryland Frogs, compiled by Wayne Hildebrand, available from the MARA website
(www.marylandnature.org/mara).
-Kyle Loucks, Nate Nazdrowicz, and Ed Thompson, personal communication.
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Field Notes
Late April—Mid-May Amphibian and Reptile Watchlist
Turtles
Eastern Mud Turtle
Eastern Box Turtle
Spotted Turtle
Wood Turtle
Northern Diamond-backed Terrapin
Northern Map Turtle
Painted Turtle
Red-eared Slider
Northern Red-bellied Cooter
Eastern Snapping Turtle
Lizards
Eastern Fence Lizard
Common Five-lined Skink
Broad-headed Skink
Little Brown Skink
Reference(s):
-Active Season for Maryland Lizards,
compiled by Chris Swarth, available from
the MARA website
(www.marylandnature.org/mara).
Reference(s):
-Active Season for Maryland Turtles, compiled by Chris Swarth,
available from the MARA website
(www.marylandnature.org/mara).
Snakes
Northern Watersnake
Queen Snake
Eastern Smooth Earthsnake
Northern Brownsnake
Northern Red-bellied Snake
Eastern Gartersnake
Common Ribbonsnake
Ring-necked Snake
Eastern Wormsnake
Northern Rough Greensnake
Eastern Hog-nosed Snake
Northern Black Racer
Eastern Ratsnake
Mole Kingsnake
Eastern Kingsnake
Eastern Milksnake
Coastal Plain Milksnake
Northern Scarletsnake
Copperhead
Timber Rattlesnake
Reference(s):
-Active Season for Maryland Snakes, compiled by Scott Smith.
Northern Black Racer, Coluber
constrictor, Kent County. Photograph
by Emily Stanley
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Recording Frog Calls
By Nate Nazdrowicz, Verification Committee Chair & Kent County Coordinator
With spring upon us, frogs have begun their
nightly serenades. While Spring Peepers and
chorus frogs are winding down, and Wood Frogs
are likely completely finished calling, the majority
of Maryland frogs have yet to reach peak calling.
Driving by wetlands at night and listening for
frog calls is a great way to document their
presence for the atlas. It is also an opportunity
to confirm their presence by making a recording.
Here I will provide a few tips for recording frog
calls without special or expensive equipment.
Eastern American Toad, Anaxyrus americanus,
Photograph by George Jett
How to make a recording:
You might not know it, but a special recorder is not necessary to
make a recording of frog calls. Anyone who has a smart phone can
download an app for making and editing recordings. Search your
app store for “voice recorder” to find an app that you like. I use
“Tape-a-talk Voice Recorder.” Recording a video with a camera can
also capture the audio of frog calls.
For making a recording, try to get as close to the chorus or calling
individual as possible. Very distant choruses will not be picked up
by the microphone. You also want to avoid background noises. If
you are recording from a road, wait for a break in traffic, or walk
away from the road and get closer to the chorus. Wind can also
create a lot of noise in a recording. Avoid making recordings in
windy conditions.
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Preparing a recording to submit in the MARA Database:
You can transfer the file from your phone to your computer by USB connection or by
emailing it to yourself. Once you have downloaded the file, listen to it to determine if the
sound quality is acceptable or if the file needs to be edited. If you hear nothing, or the
chorus is very faint, don’t assume the file is no good. Amplifying the gain of a recording
can fix these issues, and is easily executed with free software available on-line. I use the
program “Power Sound Editor Free,” but many are available for download by searching
Google. (See Quick Steps to Amplifying). You may also use these programs to crop or trim
the recording.
After you have determined your recordings are of acceptable quality, you will need to
convert the file to an mp3 format before it can be uploaded. This can be done by opening
the file in any audio program and choosing “Save As” with mp3 selected as the format, or
you can batch format multiple files by downloading a program on-line. I use the program
“Free mp3 wma Converter” to convert to mp3. Remember to also use proper MARA file
naming format when saving your files.
Quick Steps to Amplifying:
1. Open your file with Power Sound Editor Free
2. Navigate to “Amplify” in the menu column on the left
3. In the pop-up window, enter the % amplification
4. Note: amplifying will also amplify the noise in the recording so you may have to
experiment with different amplification levels to find an appropriate contrast. Also,
avoid amplifying an amplified recording. If your first amplification was too low, undo
the change before choosing a higher amplification.
5. Save the file in mp3 format
If you have trouble with an audio file, feel free to contact Nate ([email protected]) for
assistance.
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Advanced County Strategies
Are you done?
Lets say you live in a county that has reached the minimum search target efforts of at least 10
species per block, 25 species per quad or 25 hours of active survey time per quad. What does
that mean? Are you done? Not necessarily. There are still goals you can set for the year that
will benefit the atlas.
First, you can strive to elevate ‘accepted’ records of species to ‘confirmed’. Accepted records
are those that were submitted without any photos or recordings. Confirmed records are those
that were submitted with photos or recordings and passed the verification procedure. One
goal you could set for the year is to elevate as many records from ‘accepted’ to ‘confirmed’ as
possible. At the MARA database you can view result maps for each species that will show the
breakdown of ‘accepted’ and ‘confirmed’ records across quads and blocks. You can also view
this information in the results tables for quads and blocks.
Second, you can aim to close out all your blocks for common species such as Spring Peepers.
The maps from the MARA database are great tools to quickly look for and identify gaps in
coverage for common species. Often when you are out searching for a single common species,
you will pick up additional species. Bonus species!
Third, at the end of the project, we will assign blocks to the county with the largest area
within the block. This is similar to how we assigned quads at the beginning of the
project. Therefore, look at neighboring quads for blocks that have significant area in your
county and make sure at least 10 species have been documented.
Announcements
Turkey hunting season opens in Maryland
Spring turkey hunting season is now open in the state. Please be aware that hunters may be
out in the mornings hunting. From April 18 through May 9 hunting is allowed from one-half
hour before sunrise to noon. Later in the season, from May 10 through May 23, hunting is
allowed from one half hour before sunrise to sunset. Spring turkey hunting on Sundays is
only permissible on private properties in Allegany, Caroline, Dorchester, Garrett, and
southern Maryland counties. In Allegany and Garrett counties, on Sundays, hunting can also
occur on public lands.
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The Good, Bad & Just Plain Weird!
Interesting MARA finds in 2013
Queen Snake, Regina septemvittata, Howard County.
Photograph by Bonnie Ott
Red-spotted Newt, Notophthalmus viridescens,
Frederick County. Photograph by Bonnie Ott
Wood Frog, Rana sylvatica, Montgomery County.
Photograph by Lance Benedict
Eastern American Toad, Plethodon glutinosus, Charles
County. Photograph by George Jett
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Miss Dixie’s Herp Corner
MARA
A place for random questions, thoughts, and facts about
amphibians and reptiles.
Calling is expensive! I am not talking about cell phones here. I am talking about frog calls. Frogs
have been calling for a couple months now in Maryland and each species has its own unique call.
Lets talk a bit about frog calls; the how and why.
Frogs are able to vocalize by passing air over their vocal chords. However, they are unique in
that they also have a vocal sac for sound resonation. The size and shape of the vocal sac will
vary among species. Next time you see several species calling be sure to look at how the vocal
sacs differ among species. In addition to amplifying the sound of the call, the vocal sac can also
increase the rate of call production. Basically, the vocal sac cuts down on the time interval
between frog calls. So why do they call?
Reproduction in frogs depends heavily on male vocalizations to attract mates, defend territories,
and other interactions. We can break calls down into four broad categories depending on the
behavior of the frog. Categories include advertisement, reciprocation, release, and distress. Most
of us are pretty familiar with the advertisement call which is mainly used to attract mates.
Reciprocation calls are rare and are done by the female in response to a male. The release call is
used when a male frog is amplexed by another male. The distress call is a high-pitched or catlike
scream. A frog will sometimes make a distress call when grabbed by a predator.
Have you ever wondered why frogs don’t call all night? Why do frogs stop calling? Why not call
all the time? Well, other than the increased risk of being eaten by making a bunch of noise that
gives away a frog’s location to predators, calling is expensive. It is one of the most energetically
expensive activities a male frog will perform. Studies have shown that males use more energy to
call than they do while performing other daily activities. This energetic cost of calling goes up
the more calls a frog makes per hour. This can pose quite a conundrum for males frogs because
females are attracted to males who call the most. Of course, the high cost of calling is rewarded
in terms of reproductive success.
Eastern American Toad, Anaxyrus americanus, Spring Peeper, Pseudacris crucifer, Cope’s Gray Treefrog, Hyla
chrysoscelis. Photographs by George Jett
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The following is used with permission from the Natural History Society of Maryland. It is from
Maryland Naturalist, a journal of the Natural History Society of Maryland, 1950, v. 10, number 4.
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MARA Steering Committee Meeting Notes
The MARA Steering Committee met Thursday, March 28th at the Natural History Society of
Maryland’s Naturalist Center in Baltimore. Those in attendance included Glenn Therres,
Charlie Davis, Lynn Davidson, Nate Nazdrowicz, Dave Walbeck, and Heather Cunningham.
The meeting began with a brief update from the Statewide Coordinator. There are two
upcoming outreach events for the MARA project. One event is the Reptile Festival at the
Delmarva Discovery Center in Pocomoke, April 13th. The other event is Nature Fest at
Cactoctin Creek Park & Nature Center in Middletown on April 20th.
The committee discussed features for the April MARA newsletter. The committee also
discussed updates to the MARA website that are needed. These include links to the MARA
database and project results. Requests for updates have been sent to the website manager.
Volunteers at DNR continue to compile articles and reprints that can serve as reference material
for authors writing species accounts. As of the March Steering Committee meeting, there were
21 species for which nobody has offered to author an account.
The next MARA Steering Committee meeting will be held Wednesday, April 17th at 6:00pm at
the DNR headquarters in Annapolis.
2013 MARA Steering Committee
Glenn Therres *
Charles Davis *
David Smith*
Rachel Gauza
David Walbeck
Wayne Hildebrand
Lynn Davidson
Linda Weir
Kyle Rambo
Nate Nazdrowicz
Don Forester
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Natural History Society of Maryland
Coastal Resources, Inc.
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Maryland Department of the Environment
North American Amphibian Monitoring Program
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
United States Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Environmental Department
University of Delaware
Towson University
* Co-Chair
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County
Coordinator
Email Address
Allegany
Ed Thompson
[email protected]
Anne Arundel
Dave Walbeck
[email protected]
Baltimore Co./City
Don Forester
[email protected]
Joel Snodgrass
[email protected]
Calvert
Andy Brown
[email protected]
Caroline
Scott Smith
[email protected]
Carroll
David Smith
[email protected]
June Tveekrem
[email protected]
Cecil
Jim White
[email protected]
Charles
George Jett
[email protected]
Dorchester
Lynn Davidson
[email protected]
Frederick
Wayne Hildebrand
[email protected]
Garrett
Seth Metheny
[email protected]
Amo Oliverio
[email protected]
Bob Chance
[email protected]
Brian Goodman
[email protected]
Scott McDaniel
[email protected]
Howard
Sue Muller
[email protected]
Kent
Nate Nazdrowicz
[email protected]
Montgomery
Rachel Gauza
[email protected]
Lance Benedict
[email protected]
George Middendorf
[email protected]
Mike Quinlan
[email protected]
Queen Anne's
Glenn Therres
[email protected]
Somerset
Doug Ruby
[email protected]
St. Mary's
Kyle Rambo
[email protected]
Talbot
Scott Smith
[email protected]
Glenn Therres
[email protected]
Washington
Andrew Landsman
[email protected]
Wicomico
Ron Gutberlet
[email protected]
Lance Biechele
[email protected]
Jim Rapp
[email protected]
Dave Wilson
[email protected]
Roman Jesien
[email protected]
Harford
Prince George's
Worcester
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Contact Information & Resources
Additional Contact Information
Statewide Coordinator: Heather Cunningham [email protected]
Co-chairs of the MARA project
Glenn Therres, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, [email protected]
Charles Davis, Natural History Society of Maryland, [email protected]
David Smith, [email protected]
MARA Websites & Groups
Project Website
http://www.marylandnature.org/mara
https://www.facebook.com/MDHerpAtlas
Project Database
https://webapps02.dnr.state.md.us/mara/default.aspx
County Websites
Calvert:
http://www.calvertparks.org/Herp%20Atlas/Herp%20Altas%20Home/Herp%20Atl
as%20Home2.html
Carroll:
http://southernspreadwing.com/herps/
http://www.facebook.com/CarrollCountyHerpAtlas
Garrett:
https://www.facebook.com/GarrettCountyHerpAtlas
Harford:
http://suskywildlife.org/
http://www.facebook.com/SuskyWildlife
Howard:
http://www.howardbirds.org/herpatlas/index-MARA.htm
Lower Eastern Shore (Wicomico, Worcester, & Somerset)
http://www.salisbury.edu/lowershoreherpatlas/
http://www.facebook.com/lowershoreherpatlas
Montgomery:
http://www.facebook.com/MARA.MontgomeryCounty
Other Websites & Weblinks
NHSM Meetup Site:
http://www.meetup.com/marylandnature
Discover Maryland Herps (Maryland Department of Natural Resources)
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Plants_Wildlife/herps/index.asp
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