Sounds of Spring - Amphibians
One of the earliest sounds heralding Spring on Islesboro are the peeps and quacks – not of young chicks and ducklings – but from the variety of amphibian life on the island. The first warm, wet day of April brings out the “peepers” – a small native amphibian in the tree frog family. Those early peeps fill the wetlands, ditches and pond areas all over the island, announcing the longer days to come.
Not long after that, the peeps give way to the sound of peculiar “quacking,” in mid-late April. These sounds are attributed to the quirky, masked amphibian, the wood frog – the presence of which indicates something rather significant. They are an outlier in the frog family. Where most frogs are known for living in and around water bodies their whole lives, wood frogs only visit water in the Spring for the purpose of mating and laying eggs. They spend the rest of their lives in relatively dry, forested areas.
Hearing a chorus of wood frogs means that a unique and highly protected ecosystem is nearby – the vernal pool. A vernal pool is one which is most evident in the Spring, having collected snow melt and early rain. It then dries out considerably, or sometimes disappears, with the heat of Summer. A vernal pool supports no fish or year-round aquatic animals, thus providing a fairly safe and sheltered space for indicator species (wood frogs, spotted salamanders and fairy shrimp) to lay eggs. IIT has been excited to steward vernal pools on two IIT properties. The most consistently used pool is on our Herbert/Mill Dam Preserve. What was once a manmade area, dug originally for a purpose no one is quite sure of - perhaps a small foundation, a well or a watering hole for livestock - has now evolved into a seasonal pond. Most years, the telltale quack of wood frogs can be heard here, followed by large egg masses that can be seen floating, lightly attached to the reeds, grasses and cattail growing in the wet.
Click on the video link above, to hear what this event sounded like in April 2023 at our Herbert Preserve. If you’re interested in learning more about the amphibians and reptiles of Islesboro, go to the Recorded Talks Library on our website and click on the Spring Amphibians and Aquatic Reptiles of Islesboro talk, led by herpetologist and University of Arkansas professor, JD Willson.