I've watched owls do that too.
Owls are awesome! It's amazing how they appear out of nowhere, make no noise, and can fly as fast as they do though the forest.
Two years ago I was all camo sitting in my bow stand and had a young hawk come in on ME! Scared the hell out of me! It wouldn't give up, I kept waving my bow at it trying to bat it away. After what seemed like forever, but was probably a minute, it flew about 30 yards off and watched me for half an hour.