I like looking for owls when I hear them. They only call during the day if it’s very overcast. And the answer to what kind of animal made that weird noise is 9 times out of 10 a squirrel.
Owls are all over the place here starting just at dusk, too. There is one Horned Owl who uses the chimmey , when there is no fire-as a vantage point to broadcast his come-hither call to his mate for the past few years-he should be starting up in about 4-5 weeks. He hoots, and it echoes down the chimney as he waits for her to answer.
Eventually, his mate gets closer and closer till she’s on the chimney cap too, and they have a renunion that you can hear all over the house-even the pets stare at the fireplace while it is going on.