SOLOMONS, Md. — The Calvert Marine Museum’s Estuarine Biology Department has published findings from a 2025 study that used nighttime acoustic recording technology to monitor frog and toad species across Southern Maryland and Virginia’s Northern Neck. The research, supported by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust and equipment from CHESPAX, documented the presence of the rare Eastern spadefoot at five of ten deployment sites.
The study, conducted during the 2025 FrogWatch season, deployed ten acoustic recorders to capture amphibian calls that are difficult to detect through traditional daytime visual surveys. While the project did not locate the state-protected species researchers initially targeted, the recorders confirmed Eastern spadefoot, a species that spends most of its life underground and emerges only one or two nights annually to breed. The results appear in the peer-reviewed journal Banisteria.
“Acoustic monitoring allows us to document species that are active at night and often go unheard by humans,” said Matt Neff, curator of estuarine biology at the Calvert Marine Museum. “These findings add valuable data about the distribution of rare amphibians in our region and help guide future conservation work.”
The study recorded 11 frog and toad species in total. During the 2025 FrogWatch season, volunteers submitted 1,263 observations, supplemented by 456 from the acoustic recorders, marking the program’s most active year. Since the Southern Maryland FrogWatch chapter, hosted by the Calvert Marine Museum, began in 2013, it has collected more than 5,400 frog call observations across the region and surrounding areas.
To share the findings with a broader audience, the museum produced a visually engaging poster summarizing the study’s key results, partner organizations and monitoring locations. The poster provides a concise overview for readers who may not access the full scientific publication.
The FrogWatch program will expand in 2026 with new funding from the Cove Point Natural Heritage Trust, enabling deployment of acoustic recorders at additional sites in Calvert County. The chapter is also collaborating with Calvert County Parks and Recreation to monitor more locations within the county. The upcoming season will include targeted efforts to document Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toads and Carpenter Frogs, species of ongoing interest to regional researchers.
The Calvert Marine Museum will host and partner on several FrogWatch training sessions in early 2026 to prepare community members for participation. The scheduled trainings are:
- Saturday, February 7, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., virtual via Zoom, hosted by Calvert Marine Museum.
- Wednesday, February 11, 7–8:30 p.m., virtual via Zoom, hosted by Natural History Society of Maryland.
- Sunday, February 15, 2–3:30 p.m., Kings Landing Park, Calvert County Parks and Recreation.
- Wednesday, February 18, 6:30–8 p.m., Flag Ponds Park, Calvert County Parks and Recreation.
Registration and additional information are available through the museum’s FrogWatch program page. The initiative engages citizen scientists in collecting data that supports long-term amphibian monitoring and conservation in Southern Maryland.
The use of acoustic technology complements volunteer observations and provides a non-invasive method to study nocturnal species. The confirmed presence of Eastern spadefoot at multiple sites adds to baseline knowledge of amphibian distribution in the region, where habitat loss and environmental changes pose ongoing challenges.
The collaboration among the Calvert Marine Museum, Chesapeake Bay Trust, CHESPAX and Calvert County Parks and Recreation demonstrates a coordinated approach to environmental research and public involvement in Southern Maryland.