I love the Sibley Guide to Birds..can order it used on Amazon.com, or get Sibley's less expensive Eastern America field guide http://www.amazon.com/Sibley-Field-Guide-Eastern-America/dp/067945120X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240883369&sr=1-2

Thanks for your help...I had no idea whatsoever. I've never seen one before, and certainly never seen a male or anything else like it. But I just looked it up and it's not a nice bird to have around. I think it went away and I sure hope it doesn't come back. Here is a link that might be useful: Cowbird eggs in nestboxes -- Sialis.org

Kinda like this? I never saw this kind before until this weekend. He was hopping around in the bushes makin' a Tweet sound. I didn't post for an id because of the lame pic. Wouldn't that be weird if its the same kind?

When I first saw a caracara soaring overhead some time ago I thought it might have been a bald eagle what with the white head and all. But I never got that good a look at them. I am sure now that it was a caracara I saw. Another exciting find was a pileated woodpecker. All I knew from Houston were red-headed woodpeckers. I know they are common, but it was neat nonetheless. Moving to Bastrop has been great for all sorts of wildlife spotting. We have any number of deer that feed right beside the house. I have seen bucks locking horns and jousting, and once saw three of them doing that at the same time. HavenÂt seen a wild hog yet, but I have seen wallows close to the house. IÂm not a hunter, but I would shoot a hog if I get the chance. BTW, my identification book is "Birds of Texas" by Smithsonian Handbooks. I highly recommend it!