I took a leisurely stroll around Five Rivers EEC on Wednesday evening, looking for bugs and other stuff to take pictures of, but mostly just enjoying the cool evening air.  The Six-spotted Tiger Beetle above actually had six spots, unlike the previous one I had photographed that had eight spots.

The usual birds were about: Gray Catbirds sang and mewed from brushy spots, a pair of American Kestrels hung out on power lines, Green Herons flew from the sides of ponds as I aproached, Eastern Kingbirds regally overlooked their surroundings, and Yellow Warblers, Blue-winged Warblers, Prarie Warblers and Common Yellowthroats all sang from their breeding territories.

This bullfrog patiently allowed me to get close enough to photograph before emitting its high-pitched escaping sound and hiding under the surface.  Near the frog’s location I found my second Red-winged Blackbird nest of the year:

Dad wasn’t too happy about my nosiness:

I quickly moved on to minimize disturbance to the nest, and found this beetle feeding on milkweed:

I know it’s not the best picture but I am very proud to be able to identify the beetle as the aptly named Red Milkweed Beetle.  My first use of my brand new Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America!

On my way out through the fields I enjoyed the sounds of Bobolinks singing and enjoyed even more some distant-binocular looks at an adorable and very young fawn.  And then the path was blocked by geese.  Fortunately, the geese decided discretion was the better part of valor and off they went.