I had a close encounter with a screech owl once - in broad daylight. I was bird hunting in the NEK and ducked under an apple tree's limbs. When I stood up inside I felt something looking at me. I turned around and there was this grey/white screech owl not 6 feet away, eye-level with me, just looking me over. We stood there for a minute or two, checking each other out. Then he turned around on the branch and flew off without a sound. I've been a fan since