No, it’s a Northern Hawk Owl, and Junk Store Cowgirl trucked her family out today to look at it.

This species of owl, she writes, isn’t supposed to be found this far south, so it’s generating a bit of excitement in the local birding community. It’s also stirring up sentiments of a different kind:

In a bid to keep the owl around, some birders have been releasing pet store mice into the fields near where the owl’s been spotted. So I knew we were in the right area when I spotted a sign saying, “Do not release live mice on my land.”

LOL

Here is a site with some info on this owl. It’s a pretty distinctive-looking bird. I can see why people are excited.