Waterford – Police said there is a good likelihood that a cannon used by a resident to scare sea gulls away from a local piggery is what prompted a report of gunshots Tuesday by an Applewood Drive resident.

Waterford Police Lt. Brett Mahoney said police erred on the side of caution when they responded at about 10:45 a.m. to the quiet Quaker Hill neighborhood. Waterford police were joined with a contingent of state police troopers, including a SWAT team.

Police had evacuated two houses, one across the street and one next door to 5 Applewood Drive, which temporarily displaced two people, police said.

Mahoney said police surrounded a home and later entered, but found no one was inside.

Police said neighbors are familiar with the occasional cannon blasts but said the noise they heard on Tuesday was slightly different, perhaps from a different location then is typical.

No injuries were reported.