Unidentified flying..... birds?

[Pegusta]

This experience of mine took place almost exactly 15 years ago when I was thirteen. It was summer and my family lived out in the countryside which meant that I had to commute by bus every school day. The bus stop was situated about 1 km (approx. 2/3 of a mile?) so I had to walk this distance two times a day. So that is what I did that afternoon coming home from a long day in school, walking past meadows, pastures and strips of forest land.

As I was walking I saw glimmer of in the corner of my eye and subsequently I gave it a quick glance, and what I saw seemed pretty amazing. Out in a field to my left hand side I saw 7-8 brightly shimmering birds situated in a small tree situated around 10-15 meters (approx. 30 feet?). I was pretty much awestruck by it as I stood there watching the weird looking birds. I could see them sitting there much in the same way one can see ordinary birds sitting in a tree. After having stood there for a short while they suddenly in complete silence rose to the sky, and I saw then that they did not seem to have any heads or feet, the looked to be all wings. Probably around the size of big crows. I could see the branches they had sat on swaying as they took off. They flew up in the air and suddenly vanished from sight. At this point I was pretty excited and ran quickly home to tell my family of my experience. And there were as far as I know no other witnesses that I am aware of, which technically just makes it an anecdote.

What it was I do not know. Possible explanations could be hallucinations induced by fatigue after having endured a tough and taxing day in school. I could have experienced seeing some kind of reflection from the setting sun reflecting of plain old birds sitting in a tree. There are numerous natural possibilities I guess.

What is worth pointing out in this case is that directly opposite this field was a farm. And in the stable belonging to that farm the farmer once saw a gnome-like creature looking like the typical Nordic tomte; short, stout little old man with a long grey beard and pointed hat. This I heard some time after my experience.

Another thing is the fact that our house seemed to be haunted. And this can be corroborated by a host of different witnesses, belonging to three families, one of which was mine. A plethora of phenomenon could be seen, heard and felt; steps heard in the stairs, apparitions seen in the house, and the feeling of someone sitting in the bed.

Could there be something to all this? Who knows. Maybe it is a psychological/sociological phenomenon or some electromagnetic anomaly which plays trick with the human mind. Or it could be that there actually is something truly odd about the place, a portal area or some such thing. I have no idea. It is interesting though that different phenomenon seem to be occurring in the same places, which is reported sometimes. The San Luis Valley obviously being a grand example of this.

 

[Goggs Mackay]

Interesting. Without another witness or tangible evidence, it is, as you said, nothing more than an anecdote.

I would be inclined though to do a little digging locally as perhaps more weird things have happened. Is there a local bar or something where people get together? You described at least a semi-rural area but that doesn't preclude a bar. You never know, if you ask around there may be more out there?

It was certainly worthwhile posting though, it's a completely new one on me.

 

[Pegusta]

I have as a matter of fact been meaning to do some investigative work this summer, time permitting. I have since moved several times and now live about two hours drive from the place but I may take a detour to snoop around.

It was - and still is I suppose - a small village with somewhere between 8-10 houses. So it was not that big of a place, and unfortunately has no bar or anything akin to that.

I have made some efforts during the years to interpret what I saw, trying to find some similar phenomenon referenced in the literature etc. In a sense it shares some distinguishing features with fairy-type encounters, but the description is not spot on. What fascinates me is the way different people interpret the same phenomenon in different ways. I have made mention of this encounter (for lack of a better term, apparition or anomaly may be more apt) to different people and have heard many interpretations that perfectly reflects the specific individuals worldview, references, religious belief etc.

For example a christian immediately labeled it an angel manifestation. While a Mongolian shaman on the other hand was quick to suggest that what I saw was a manifestation of the world tree, needless to say a central part in shamanistic mythology. And that’s just the religious angle.


While I do not subscribe to any of the theories presented above, not that strange considering my atheist approach, I do admit appreciating getting interpretations from across the board, as it beautifully exemplifies the human component and its integral part in perceptions of anomalous phenomenon.