This is the second summer we've had an owl out back, not sure if it's the same one. Some nights we hear it hooting and then it breaks out into loud cackling. The nest is huge, there was no missing it when we went for a nature walk out back. What surprised me was that it's in a dead birch tree....not sure how safe that tree is for a nest that size. The ground under the tree is covered with soft downy feathers too. I guess the nest is lined with them.