Barn owl in residential area?

At about 9pm this evening I saw a large white or very pale, bird flying silently overhead. I  wondered if it might be a barn owl, however, it was in a suburban area, although near to a green and a small wooded area, and it was quite high. I  cant say with any accuracy how high, but considerably higher than I'd usually associate with a barn owl, which is about 12 or 15 feet. Could it have been a barn owl? If not, any ideas what else it might have been? 

Thank you