Wednesday, April 28th *End of Salamander Season 2010* This amphibian season has been a hard one to predict.  Some sites, like North Lincoln Street in Keene, Route 63 in Chesterfield, and River Road in Westmoreland, helped hundreds of amphibians cross way back at the end of March.  There were a total of 778 critters from the three sites and as of the data we have now, 879 overall for the night.  Other sites had a large migration in April, mostly into the late hours of the night.  Although not great for viewing these secluded species, late night rains meant overall lower mortality rates by traffic.  We have seen egg masses in multiple pools, so we know they made it across.  Some wood frog eggs have already hatched and you can see tadpoles!

Tuesday, April 20th A forty percent chance of rain in the immediate forecast doesn’t have us jumping for our rain boots.  If you do get some rain at night by you, you are always welcome to go out and see what may be crossing.  Don’t be surprised if you see many amphibians crossing out of the wetlands and into the nearby forests.  They have already done their seasonal breeding and are making their way back home!

Friday, April 16th Brrrr…it looks like it will be too cold tonight for lots of critters to move!  We’ll keep you posted as we keep trying for another night to get out fill of amphibians.  While you’re wishing you were out crossing salamanders, why don’t you attend our Vernal Pool Documentation training session this evening?

Thursday, April 15th We know a lot of critters made it into the breeding pools during last week’s late-night “monsoon” because we have started to see eggs, but we know your eager to get out there one last time!  There is a lot of rain in the forecast for the next couple days and although the temperatures aren’t ideal, we may have a flux of stragglers slithering on across the roads. Keep checking in for the final call as we get closer and closer…

Friday, April 9th 4:30 pm - What tricky weather!  We’re going to wait another hour or so before making a final decision about salamandering tonight. Right now, it looks like the rain is going to die down by 9:00pm, which is not exactly the ideal conditions we’ve been waiting for.  Stay by your phone though - tonight might still turn out to be a good night.  9:00 am - Here we go again!  While it’s wonderfully rainy in Keene this morning, it looks like the skies might be drying out by this evening.  Stick close to your email or voice mail - today is shaping up to be yet another last minute decision, but we’ll let you know as soon as we do!  While you’re waiting, have a gander at the newest amphibian of the week brought to you exclusively by Caitlin Sharp.

Tuesday, April 6th Well, there’s some precipitation in the forecast again, but it looks like this weather system might not bring long sustained rains that we’re looking for.  Check back in this afternoon - we’ll be making another last minute decision about tonight!  As always, feel free to check out your favorite crossing spot even if we don’t officially call a Big Night.  Safety first if you head out.

Tuesday, March 30th- Big Night Recap With rains disappearing early in the night and temperatures still settling in the low 40s, the weather ended up being a little cool for a big crossing night.  That doesn’t mean that our volunteers were not out in numbers.  Excitement levels ran high as crossing guards, new and returning, showed up to their sites throughout southern New Hampshire.  Volunteers reviewed amphibian ID sheets and chatted amongst themselves in an effort to correctly categorize critters creeping across the roadways.  One young volunteer spent some time helping a crossing male spotted salamander find a “girlfriend.”  Although overall we saw more frogs than salamanders cross in last night’s Big Night, we are still eager for the possibilities of crossing yet to come.  Keep your boots close - spring is not over yet!

Didn’t get your fill of amphibians last night?  Don’t worry.  There will be a few more Big Nights before spring is through.  Tonight, AVEO will not be calling a big night, but if you’re hooked on amphibians like us, you may want to still go out tonight to see what’s there.  If you are thinking of going out tonight to help some critters yourself, please remember to always BE SAFE.  Wear light, reflective clothing and have a bright flashlight on hand.

NOTE: We love DATA and we know you love collecting it.  Remember to give your numbers to your site coordinator or send them straight over to AVEO (but not both please).  Photos are always welcome too.

Monday, March 29th Tonight is our first BIG NIGHT!  It’s looking perfectly froggy out there, so be ready to head out after your site coordinator calls!

Thursday, March 25th Tonight is our last Salamander Crossing Guard Training and the weather is looking bleak.  Not great for many outdoor activities except one… helping amphibians!  Although we do not think tonight will be a Big Night, you may catch sight of some “sallies” on your drive home.  Here is some fun information on the vernal pool amphibian of the week!

Monday, March 22nd Safety measures have been gone over, rain boots have made their way out of the closet, temperatures have neared 70 degrees, and now we have rain.  Sounds like prime amphibian migration weather.  Unfortunately, it is not quite right yet.  This rain has brought in a bit of a cold front, making it a little too chilly for our friends to come out in numbers.  Don’t be too worried if you see a couple of wood frogs trying to get across the roads the next couple of days; they like it a little cooler than the spotted salamander!  Make sure to get on the phone tree for your crossing site soon, if you haven’t already, so you can get the call once big night arrives.

Friday, March 19th Wood frogs are singing in Ashuelot River Park - a sure sign that spring is quickly approaching!  Now is a great time to gather your rain jacket and boots, reflective vest, flashlight, headlamp and other tools of trade for salamandering.  Did you know that Jack’s True Value Hardware in Keene is offering a 10% discount on vests, flashlights and buckets for Salamander Crossing Guards?

Wednesday, March 17th Just south of us in MA, a few hardy frogs and salamanders (mostly the males, which move a tad earlier) slowly made their way towards vernal pools in last weekend’s bout of rain.  While it will be a bit longer before amphibians in our corner of NH are on the move, it’s never too early to get ready for the Salamander Crossing Guards Program!   Click the links below to see what is new this year:

*Newly revised 2010_crossing_guard_handbook with tips for Big Night(s)!            *Updated Google Map to help you select and get directions to your crossing site!     *Intern Caitlin Sharp is cleverly creating ways to enhance everyone’s salamandering experience!

It’s almost time to bust out your rain jackets and rubber boots!  This year, Salamander Crossing Guards will head out to ten sites throughout Cheshire County to help migratory amphibians cross the roads that separate their upland and breeding habitat.  Please save the date(s) for free training sessions at the Keene State College Science Center on Friday March 19 7-9pm in Room 101, Saturday March 20 10-noon in Room 101, and Thursday March 25 7-9pm in Room 126.  We’ll walk you through identification of salamanders, frogs and toads, and get you up to speed on everything you need to become a Salamander Crossing Guard.

Also, AVEO is adding a new twist to our Vernal Pool program this year.  We’re currently in the process of locating potential vernal pools throughout Keene and we need your help to ground truth these pools.  This spring, we hope you’ll enjoy tromping through the woods and getting you feet wet to help document this critical habitat.  Come learn about vernal pool ecology and conservation (training dates TBA) - salamanders, frogs and a host of other critters will thank you!

For more information, please visit www.aveo.org or contact Kate at kate@aveo.org or (603) 358-2065.

We are pleased to welcome Caitlin Sharp to AVEO.  Caitlin is a graduate student at Antioch University New England where she is currently completing her final semester of the Environmental Education program.  Through Antioch’s practicum program, she will be providing invaluable support for the Salamander Crossing Guards and Vernal Pool Documentation programs this spring.  Growing up in New Jersey, Caitlin had ample opportunity to explore the great outdoors; she is excited to bring both passion for nature and scientific expertise to her work here in New Hampshire.

This past fall, graduate students from Antioch University New England partnered with AVEO staff and volunteers  for the third year of fall migration songbird banding in Keene.  The 2009 season marked our most comprehensive banding effort to date, with 22 banding sessions and nearly 800 net hours.  During this time, we netted 511 birds of 46 species at a rate of 0.66 birds per net hour.  Of the total, 439 birds were newly banded, 62 were recaptured, and 10 were released unbanded.  Gray Catbirds were netted most often, followed by Song Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, Black-capped Chickadees, and Myrtle (yellow-rumped) Warblers.   If you’d like to read more, please follow this link until you’re prompted to open or save this file:

2009_fall_banding

Thank you to all of the dedicated people who enjoyed banding birds with us!

Cedar Waxwings by Byard Miller

AVEO wishes you a delightful holiday season filled with many opportunities

to pause and wonder at the unassuming beauty of the winter landscape.

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On Friday October 30th, we observed Northern Saw-whet Owl banding, led by Antioch University New England graduate student Chris Volonte.  After an introduction to the North American Bird Banding Program and Project Owlnet, we had the amazing opportunity to see three Saw-whets up close.

This season, Chris has banded nearly 100 owls at four sites throughout Cheshire County. Her research contributes to a nation-wide effort to better understand owl migration. Many thanks to Chris for hosting our visit and sharing such a wonderful experience with us all.

A special thank you to Ken Bergman and Sue Yarger for their great photos!

If you would like to learn more about owl banding, please email Kate at kate@aveo.org.