The NHSM Herp Club is excited to host a training session for FrogWatch 2026. FrogWatch is a nationwide citizen science program that tracks frog populations throughout the United States. The Calvert Marine Museum hosts the Southern Maryland (and surrounding DMV) FrogWatch chapter. Matt Neff, Curator of Estuarine Biology at the Calvert Marine Museum will lead this training over zoom, it is open to everyone and a great summer science project for students! Participation is a fun way to learn about amphibians as well as getting to know your local wetlands and frog & toad species. In the workshop you will learn how to identify frog and toad calls and how to document their calling activity at your local site to provide invaluable data on frog and toad populations in your community.
Participants will choose a monitoring site that is easily accessible and close to where they live or work to listen to frogs that are calling throughout the breeding season (February 1st – August 31st). This training will take place over zoom and will take 1.5 hours. After the training Matt will direct people to a quiz to take online to be “certified” to participate.
You do not have to be a frog and toad expert to participate. You just need a desire to participate and the willingness to learn the calls of the frogs and toads in your area. If you are interested in participating, please register!
This training will take place in Zoom. So please register to receive the Zoom link.
Links to the lectures are here: FrogWatch 2026 – Protocols and FrogWatch 2026 – Frog ID
Here is a link to practice frog calls beforehand: http://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com/frogwatch
As Curator of Estuarine Biology at the Calvert Marine Museum, Matt has opened several new exhibits, including one on the Eastern Hellbender, which focuses on this endangered salamander once found in the Bay. Matt is also beginning his fourteenth season of FrogWatch, a citizen science program that trains individuals to listen to and record their observations of frogs calling during the breeding season. Last year, over 1,200 observations were submitted of 14 different frog species across the region for the Southern Maryland and surrounding DMV chapter. Before coming to the museum, Matt was at the Smithsonian National Zoo for 12 years, working as a zookeeper in the Department of Herpetology. He is also a past-president and is still very involved in leading surveys with the Virginia Herpetological Society. Matt has always loved working with animals and teaching people about the natural world, and is happy to continue this passion with species native to Southern Maryland.
Are you fascinated by reptiles and amphibians? The Natural History Society of Maryland’s Herp Club promotes the proper husbandry, conservation, study, and appreciation of reptiles and amphibians. Amateurs, professionals, and kids of all ages are welcome. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month and are open to the public.
Although you don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, membership gives you access to additional experiences. An annual NHSM membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families; Herp Club membership is an additional $5 for individuals and $10 for families.
If you are not yet a member of NHSM, click here to join. When you join as a new member, you can add the club membership(s) of your choice to your registration. Current NHSM members who wish to join any clubs should email the Community Coordinator at rbaldwin@marylandnature.org.