On Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:01:25 -0500, cat daddy wrote:

"Sqwertz" wrote in message
...
What bird is flying around the medium sized waterways trying to pick
up a mate this time of year?

It's makes this hideous, teradactyl-like screech that lasts 4-5
seconds with a 4-5 second pause between screeches. I hear 3 bursts
at a time while it's within distance.

The first time it flew overhead I heard it at what seemed like a
mile. Then went off right above my head it sounded like an alien was
landing. Too dark to see what it might be.

I've heard at 3:00am Sunday (the loudest). 9pm on Sunday fairly
close, and again Monday morning at 10:00am much farther away.
Haven't heard it since.

I could swear it was a teradactyl but the strength of the sound.

-sw

Giant Cicada / Chicharra Grande
http://www.texasento.net/Cicada.htm

Link to sound files of this screaming loud insect

Thanks, but that's not it either. This thing is soaring overhead at
probably 30+ MPH with no chirping noise following the
whistle/shreek. But that was a good guess :-) At first I thought
that mght be it, but this thing travels.

FWIW, I work next to the river and I've never heard it here during
the day (but there's a lot of street noise).

Is there a bird group this can be posted to?

-sw