Last night around 11:30 I heard a strange sound from my front yard which
sounded like a small dog yapping and whining (like a puppy sound). When I
went to investigate I realized it was coming from a large maple tree and
about that time a bird (owl I presume) flew out of the tree. It was
illuminated briefly by a street light and was roughly crow sized. I have
very little experience with owls. Could this have been a Short-eared Owl?

John Shelton
Portland, Oregon
jshelton at teleport.com