Vernal pools sit silent, hidden in the woods, dry for half the year, disguised as forest floor, until early spring when they fill with melting snow and the rains of March. As spring warms up, these seasonal pools suddenly team with life as frogs and salamanders return to lay their eggs. The woods come alive with sounds of frogs, from deafening peeps and to deep ribitts. By late April dozens of egg masses can be seen attached to logs, or free floating just below the surface. Wood frogs, spring peepers, treefrogs, green frogs, and bullfrogs hide in the mud or peek their camouflage heads above the surface. Spotted and blue-spotted salamanders indicate vernal pools are healthy habitats and newts can be found in the duff around the pools. In the healthiest vernal pools tiny fresh water fairy shrimp hatch from their wintered over eggs to briefly live and reproduce.
With so much to learn about vernal pools we are offering two programs this spring. In this second program we will hike to at least two different major vernal pools at Hidden Valley. Hopefully the group will see and learn to identify salamander and frog egg masses, encounter a few species of frogs, and check under logs and leaves for newts. Learn more about the first program, offered March 29 here.
We invite people of all ages to join Maine Master Naturalists Bonnie Potter for one or both of these fascinating vernal pool programs.
For questions, please reach out to Zoe Thomas at zoe@midcoastconservancy.org.
This is a free event, but registration is encouraged.
All are welcome! Participants under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.