This guy chose to hang out in our tree all afternoon, for at least three hours.
It's a gloomy day and I did not want to open the door and scare him away, so the images are not very vivid.
Looked at my favorite Illinois bird book. I'm leaning toward it being a Great Horned Owl, though it could be an Eastern Screech-Owl. If you're an owl expert, I'd love your input.
Click on the image for a full-sized version.
Great Horned Owls lay their eggs in January and February. I'd love it if they'd choose my tree!