Wow...lots of info...many thanks. Is this a common cricket ?

C. fortior is very common, but in a 'clumped' type distribution, i.e. in a few bushes to a hectare or so they may occur several in nearly every creosote bush or low mesquite or ironwood, etc. in the litter or within usually a meter or less from the ground, but maybe a few hundred meters between the clumps with very few or none present. More common by dry washes. The best by far way to check on them is in the late summer and fall to go out and listen for the unique syncopated song - dit dit ..... dit-dit ..... etc. continuous for a minute or more. Each 'dit' is actually composed of two pulses (or wingstrokes) too fast to tell apart. As far as seeing them, they approach 'impossible' to find except by homing in on the song very slowly and carefully. Even that is quite difficult as you are surrounded by a continuous low-volume tinkling, very ventriloquial. Add that they are very wary.

Many thanks for all your input. This was the only one I've ever seen or probably heard ever....but our insect population has dropped drastically with the drought.