You make a strong case and could very well be right. It wouldn't be the first time I tried something because I REALLY wanted it to work. I did a little more googling and came up with the following user comments: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=95309: I've heard different opinions on them, some people say theyre just a gimmick. They are supposed to make the predator think they are being watched and spook them, thus they leave, or do not enter the area. It's worth a try, so I got one. I'll let you know, I guess. I know a gentleman whose property is part river frontage, and he swears by the thing. Says he used to have huge losses to predators at that edge of his property by every kind of predator imagineable, and it has stopped. There's nothing in it for him to be giving me a line of garbage, so I believed him, thats why I'm gonna try it! (He has goats, pigs, all manner of poultry, exotics, dogs, cats, even emus) http://www.alpacanation.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8382: We have been pleased with both the product and with customer service when we had a problem with one of the units. (second message at same link) I have them on fence-posts facing into the woods, roughly at about 3 feet up on the post....about eye-level to a very large dog. We have a lot of coyotes around here, but have not seen or heard one nearby the last two years...about as long as I have had the Nite-Guard boxes up. I will get some more when we expand the pastures this spring as I believe they work. http://www.amazon.com/Nite-Guard-Solar-Powered-Predator-NG-001/product-reviews/B0014FGT8C/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1: Three of four amazon.com users said they worked for them. The fourth said they donÂt work on beavers. (end of reviews) But then again, before trying coyote urine I saw some hopeful reviews, and that strategy didn't work for me. Will let you all know in a few months, when the snow melts and the pond is running. Signed: hopefulinminneapolis

The sound you're hearing is probably raccoons, as I was lying in bed one night I thought a strange and exotic bird was was being murdered by one of my darling cats, by the awful sound coming from the yard, out I went with flashlight in hand and sure enough, there were the 3 little bandits with their mother who was clearly very angry with them. Her scolding was probably the most unsettling sound I have ever heard but I was glad to find all alive!

I haven`t heard it since. The mellow tones it made were similar to a middle "C" started note. Kinda sounded like it was played on a flute. Does a mockingbird sing at night? I haven`t heard any do that and we have a bunch here in the neighborhood. After the sun goes down, it gets completely quiet here as far as ANY bird singing, unless it is a hoot owl...and that is rare when I hear them. It was also loud and far off ( 200 yards or so ) I am guessing it must have been a large bird making the sounds. I heard it well from where I was at. I will check out your link about night birds. I really appreciate the help! :) This one has me tweaked. Thank you! :)

Well this was an eventful weekend! Yesterday (Saturday) I found another loose Husky running around my fence. This one was a female and much more people-friendly. She kind of ran off when I first came out, but after a treat and a water bowl was put outside she came right up. I leashed her, she had a collar but no tags. She immediately rolled over and made the "I'm a good dog" face at me, then walked fine on the leash. No aggression whatsoever. She looked VERY similar to the male Husky seen previously. I took her through my backyard and put her in my laundry room with a bowl of water. On the way she lunged for my dogs, I wasn't sure if it was to play or to eat them, but either way I had planned on keeping her separated from them. I called AC and they came and picked her up. During this time I watched for anyone to walk by who might be looking for her. I let the AC officer know she looked like the Husky that was out before and they should check with that family. I never did find out where they lived - I'm regretting that now. The AC officer also mentioned that the dog matched reports of a Husky that was attacking local livestock. I'm in a neighborhood, but there is farmland 1-2 miles away. Again I feel bad about calling AC, but it is far outweighed by knowledge that she won't get hit by a car, go hungry and she has a real chance of finding either her owners, or better ones! I left for visiting friends that evening and was out until about midnight. When I came home there was a note on my door saying that my dogs were keeping the entire neighborhood awake all night and had been since I moved in. AC and the police had been called multiple times and they were considering legal action. And my dusk to dawn light was too bright and keeping people awake. It was signed "Residents of X lane". This greatly upset me as I try to be a good neighbor and considerate of people around. Any time I hear my dogs bark I bring them in or do the "hush" command. Since the note was pretty anonymous I went around to each house on my street this afternoon to talk with everyone - apologizing profusely for bothering anyone and letting them know that I would fix the problems by not letting my dogs out at all after dark (even though they are never out past 10pm and even then are supervised) and turning off the light. Not a single one said they had a problem with my dog barking or the light or admitted to writing any note or discussing it with other neighbors. One did admit the light came in through the edge of her bedroom window and I immediately agreed to unplug it/put it on a timer for early night hours only. She also said she had heard my dogs sometimes, but it didn't bother her, and denied writing any note. The pit bull in a pen in the house behind me was the only real problem anyone had - it barks constantly and I've only seen it out of the pen once in the 7 months I've lived here. There was only one person that wasn't home, but she had a dog herself so I can't imagine she'd complain about mine. I plan to follow up with her later. The thing that really bothered me was the note mentioned AC and the police had been called but I haven't heard anything from either them and I just had AC at my house the day before for the Husky! My mother suspects that it's retaliation from calling AC on the Husky. I'm scared to leave my dogs outside anymore (they have a dog door so they can come in at any time, but they have access to the outside while I'm at work too) and I'm scared to call AC if anything else happens again. I guess I just can't wait to get out of this neighborhood - which won't happen for several years. My plan is to lay low for a while and hope it blows over. I just can't believe that some people could be so petty, stupid, and just plain liers.