Bird Identification: Owl or hawk?, 0 by scryingwell

scryingwell wrote:
I sighted this bird in the East Bay Area in California and took the pictures at 8:50 AM at the end of December. I could not get a clear view because it was so far away... If it is an owl it seems quite small and its chest/belly area seems quite large. Its beak is short and the crown of its head is rusty reddish brown with some black markings. It's chest has a scalloped pattern. Does anyone know what bird this could be?