Summer Solstice Outing

Having not surveyed last weekend I certainly made up for it this morning. I had many surprises, not all avian. The morning started out calm, humid and slightly overcast at 73 degrees. With no wind I should have heard a pin drop but my first walk-in along Hackenberg Creek there was a deafening buzz of insects. I am not sure if they were cicadas. They may have been another species of insect. Does anyone have a clue?
The Red-eyed Vireo was the most incessant songster of the day. Not a single Golden-cheeked Warbler was seen or heard. The breeding season looks to be over for them. I still have a Least Flycatcher singing on territory at Tobacco Creek. He definitely is not a Western Flycatcher. His song is the distinctive "Che-bek". This bird has a white eye ring and two dull wing bars. When the bird sings it flicks its tail and wings. I am very familiar with this species as I had them on breeding bird surveys in Upper Michigan.
At Tobacco Creek Seep I finally had the opportunity to photograph the Louisiana Waterthrush nest after the young fledged. This pair of waterthrushes chose to build their nest right in the middle of the seep on a slope that was dangerous for both four and two footed creatures to approach. The first photo above is an area shot, the second the nest.
Flybys today were a Crested Caracara, two Green Herons and a Great Egret. The Yellow-billed Cuckoos continue to be abundant this year.

I happened upon a huge Walking Stick by nest box #4 at Trammel Crossing. This fellow was over 4" long. Lucky I had gloves on when I handled it as I noticed nice sized claws at each leg joint. I also believe I found my first ever Indian arrowhead laying at the base of a sapling where the tree growth raised it out of the ground. The Summer Solstice certainly was filled with a variety of surprises for me!