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One of the many deer trails crossing the meadows. Virginia tiger moths hiding under a blade of grass. When I opened the door of my car this morning at the sanctuary, I was greeted by a cacophony of cicadas, which is one of the true sounds of summer in Maryland.  On my walk the chorus continued, with the additions of the cries of a crow, the bellowing of a bullfrog, the drumming of a woodpecker, and the warbling of a wren.  The only man-made sound was the occasional airplane or jet overhead.  Try as I might, I could not find a cicada to photograph; perhaps when they leave their dried shells on tree limbs, I will see the only physical evidence that they were inhabiting this peaceful place.

Can you see me now? Female common yellowthroat with breakfast. Summer heat is taking its toll on plants as flowers and grasses are drying and moving into seed production.  Dragonflies and other insects, like moths and tiny butterflies, still flit from perch to perch.  Nesting season is winding down, as fledglings try their hand at capturing their own food.

Halloween pennant dragonfly Black leaf-footed bug (yes, that's the name). I was pleased to photograph my first Halloween pennant dragonfly, which is so named because of the orange and brown bands of color on its wings.  The adult dragonflies eat mosquitoes, flies, and gnats.

The next time you are in the sanctuary, use your ears and listen to the sounds around you.  Perhaps you'll hear a chorus of cicadas, too.

<Thanks for reading my blog entry, which is part of a personal photography project to bring attention to and to benefit the Fred Archibald Sanctuary in New Market, MD.  The sanctuary is owned and managed by the Audubon Society of Central Maryland.  Copyright 2017 Cam Miller.  All photographs are for sale upon request.>