We have Coops/sharpshinners here like crazy, and they do frequent the yard, but they seem VERY leery of us. Would they put a nest that close to us when there are an additional 30 acres of good stout trees just about any direction from the yard? This nest is fairly dense looking, not like a dove or cuckoo would put together. I will start watching for 'poops' since most birds eventually have a whitewashing effect from coming and going. THe nearest water is about 200 yards away, unless it keeps raining. Then it will be about 35. I wish I had been paying more attention. I would know a) what had been building this nest, and b) how long it's been around.

Love the cuckoos too. Most of the locals here call them rain crows since the myth has it that they call before a storm. They do have an odd call. CCox, you think it's a sad one? I don't know, it always reminds me of sitting in a fishing boat with my dad years and years ago. A cuckoo would do its cuk cuk cuk ca ca kow kow kow thing and dad would say, There's a rain crow, gonna be good fishing today. Never seemed to really have a bearing on the good or bad of the trip but the call still reminds me of those days on the water with him. I discovered a nest on a rather low branch of a tree here years ago. For days all I would see was a bird butt sticking out one side, and from where I was standing it looked almost like a dove's tail but not quite. Then one day I saw the cuckoo fly to the nest. I'd never seen one before and was delighted but unfortunately I never did see a brood. We had a series of strong storms and had to bring in one of our tractors to clean up the snapped off trees. The stack with all its hot fumes and roaring deisel engine were still not enough to make that bird leave the nest and after the cleanup was done a tail could still be seen jutting out of the flimsy nest. Too bad the chicks never appeared. I always assumed a snake was responsible.

If this happens at night, I'd strongly suspect screech owls. One of their characteristic calls is called a 'whinny' as a matter of fact. It's quite soft, a pretty sound.

Alisande, thank you for sharing the owl pictures and introducing us to this photographer! I love the effects that he has made in the production of his works. Owls are fascinating to me. Tulsarose, I looked at his website, too. He's remarkable, isn't he?