Singing and Drumming on the Gunflint Trail

Spring is such a special time on the Gunflint Trail, especially when the mud has dried up. I look forward to listening to the frogs and loons sing and the grouse as they drum in the woods.  We invite you to come visit us at Voyageur soon so you too can hear the music of the Gunflint Trail.

From the Minnesota DNR-

Wood Frogs – Always some of the earliest frogs to start calling in the spring, this frog species congregates in shallow ponds and pools near woods, even while there is still ice on the pond. Their call is similar to a duck quack, and a large chorus sounds rather like a bunch of feeding mallards. This frog is special because it freezes solid in the winter. Tucked under bark or leaves, the frog stops breathing, its heart stops and it remains frozen solid until spring.

Boreal Chorus Frogs – These are some of the most commonly heard frogs in Minnesota in the spring. They are a tiny (thumbnail sized) frog with several dark stripes. Their tiny size is often surprising to those who have only heard them because their call is LOUD. The call is best described as a finger running down the length of a comb. This frog can even be heard calling in large groups in city storm water ponds.

Spring Peepers – Another tiny frog with a very loud voice. As their name suggests, they make loud, high pitched “peeping” noises as their call. These are slightly less common than Boreal chorus frogs, but people on the outskirts of towns, where there are woods, have a good chance of hearing this species.