Grasscopters?

Several days ago I was seated on the couch reading when, from the open window, I heard a ft-ft-ft-ft-ft sound, exactly like that which a sprinkler would make.  Thing is, we don't have any sprinklers.   :/  Puzzled, I turned to look outside.  I was kind of surprised to see that the culprit was a grasshopper--one of those large, flying, locustlike ones--hovering in midair!  It had jumped up into the air and was now flapping its wings, producing the ft-ft-ft sound, but it wasn't going anywhere.  It just hovered like a hummingbird, or a helicopter.  I didn't even know grasshoppers could do that, and guessed that the fact that it was attempting to fly against the wind had something to do with it.  *shrug*

I was amused by this, and when the grasshopper slowly sank back to the ground I returned to my reading.  Shortly after, however, the ft-ft-ft-ft sound came again, and again, a large grasshopper rose into the air and hovered, then descended.  I don't know if it was the same one, but every so often this process was repeated right outside the window and I had to laugh because it was just so silly and unexpected.

I was reminded of the Ojibwa mythical figure Peepaukawiss, also known as Grasshopper, who is known for his dancing and pranks and playful nature.  I honestly had to wonder if these grasshoppers were simply trying, without success, to fly against the wind; if they were playing a game and having fun; or if they were merely fluttering up into the air to look in the window and say hello!