It’s apparently a saw-whet owl, and it’s been sitting there hanging around all morning.

UPDATE: The bird was sitting on a mouse it had caught, and after sleeping and eating, it flew away, leaving part of a mouse corpse in my pine tree.

UPDATE: And now it’s back, sleeping in the pine tree, somewhat higher up with its back to me. Beautiful little bird.

UPDATE: The owl stayed in our tree all day, sleeping and eating. I was able to view it quite closely from the upstairs window. When we closed up the drapes at dusk it was still there, but by morning it had moved on. I feel honored to have played innkeeper for this beautiful bird.