What is this?

...an egg of sort?

 

It might be a cluster of snail or slug eggs, but it's hard to tell from the photo alone.

 

I did a bit of research. I think it might be a caddisfly egg.

 

Was this found in or near water? Caddisfly larvae are aquatic.

 

well, 3 blocks from water

 

Definitely not caddisfly eggs, unless a bird picked them out of the water and then dropped them on land.

 

Caddisfly egg masses:
http://www.google.ca/search?client=...A&biw=1459&bih=995&sei=JMuWULj2CebFigK8rYCwBA

Looks pretty convincing.

 

Slug egg masses:
http://www.google.ca/search?client=...w&biw=1459&bih=995&sei=SsuWUO37IOioigKXoYGACQ