Attack of the 3AM Barn Owl

So I haven't been sleeping well lately. Jason insists on keeping the window open at night, so our room drops to about 50 degress by the morning. This morning I think I even saw my breath.

Well, last night I was awakened at 3am by a horrible noise. It sounded like one of our neighbors dogs was being attacked. It was a mixture of screams and howls. Truly unlike anything I've ever heard. I woke up Jason and made him listen. He told me to get a flashlight and go outside and see what it was. Sure...I'm really going to go outside and brave a wild beast. So we sat and listened. All of a sudden, the weird noises were followed by a "Hoo Hoo" (like an owl). The noises went on for about 10 more minutes and then I finally decided to shut the window and try to ignore it.

So today at work I googled "strange owl noises" and came across a description of a barn owl. It seemed to match what we heard. Maybe he is in the neighborhood for Halloween. Anyways, if you are awakened by some strange noises, no worries it may just be your local Barn Owl. By the way, I do find owls rather cute. Sometimes they remind us of our cat, Serena. Same serious eyes. (see images above)

Background on the Barn Owl...
"Perhaps no other animal is more a part of folklore and superstition than the owl, and it is likely the behavior of the barn owl is one of the reasons. The barn owl likes to “haunt” old buildings like barns, church steeples or abandoned houses. Strange noises coming from an old house are not ghosts; they are more likely the calls of barn owls. The barn owl’s voice is a mixture of screams, screeches, whistles, growls and hisses, weird enough to make some people think that an old house where barn owls live might be haunted."