The other day as I savored my morning bowl of Cheerios, I caught something out of the corner of my eye. It was a Turkey Vulture, common around my house, but unusually close to the windows because the house is surrounded by trees. For some reason the vulture decided to swoop down to take a closer look. I was a bit taken aback because I rarely see large birds that close, although I have handled hawks, owls, eagles, herons, and pelicans. They are big birds, the size of which you don’t typically notice because they are soaring or sitting in a tree or on the ground, so it is hard to have a frame of reference. When the average person gets a close-up look at an eagle or the prehistoric looking Great Blue Heron or Turkey Vulture, it can be a bit shocking.
Every once in a while, I get an email from someone who claims to have seen some giant bird. Recently someone from Texas wrote (“Three years ago I seen (sic) a giant owl.”) According to him the owl was as big as a man, had a 20-foot wingspan, and lived in a cave. Of course, he had no proof, which was also not available to support his claim of also seeing an Ivory-billed Woodpecker. (I earlier wrote a blog about the guy who six years ago saw three giant birds, one of which he said carried off a deer. Why do these guys wait years to tell me of their sightings?)
The other day, a woman who apparently saw a Pileated Woodpecker disagreed with my identification because “a zoologist told me it was a Giant Red-Headed Wood Pecker”
And then there’s the Native American myth of the Thunderbird (no, not the Air Force acrobatic team or the car, a giant bird). After a report of a Thunderbird trying to carry off a 56-pound child, some self-described “expert photographer” filmed Thunderbirds in flight. There are lots of apparent sightings of these supposed creatures, but just look at this video about the Thunderbirds in Illinois. Turkey Vultures. But that doesn’t stop these cryptozoologists. You can read more stories in the Pennsylvania Rambler. Search the web and you’ll find even more sightings of Thunderbirds as well as other flying behemoths.
Years ago, in the 60s and 70s, there were lots of UFO sightings, the pictures of which often were fuzzy photographs of weather balloons, clouds, or just quirks of lighting or other camera-induced artifacts. For the past two decades or so just about everyone has been carrying around a high- quality camera on their phone, so one would guess that we would now have all kinds of good photos of these supposed alien craft. But no. The same with giant birds or claims of Ivory-bill sightings. Why aren’t there photos – clear, unambiguous photos? Because – and I hedge my bets just a little here because I am a scientist- it’s very highly unlikely that giant birds, the Ivory-bill, or alien spacecraft on earth exist.
Remember Carl Sagan’s words – “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
Today in the US they are trying to make ufo sightings less stigmatized so more people will report them. As you stated, most of what people see are military test crafts and weather instruments. Still no solid proof in spite of all the technology. Their goal I believe is alien life would disprove Christianity.
Keith, I was hunting in the fall, of 1972, with my friend from grade school days. We sighted a bird of a giant species, while walking. It’s wingspan was over 20 feet in my opinion. Giant birds, are absolutely not just a myth, they are a reality. I believe they are extremely dangerous! We saw this bird on a very sunny day, at close range. There was no mistaking what we saw. No side by side comparison has ever been made of a Thunderbird compared to a turkey vulture!
Or, to paraphrase Richard Feinman, anything is possible, but some things are highly unlikely. Hope you are well, Roger.
Folks might be interested in this controversial photo taken of Civil War soldiers standing by a huge Pteranodon, they claim to have shot, that could well have gone after a small child.
https://www.ancient-code.com/a-real-image-of-an-pterodactyl-the-mystery-behind-the-civil-war-dinosaur-photo/
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I saw a thunderbird in 1985 in Texas the same place where the sightings were common. It was right in front the road I was driving in . Blackish brown that looked like a mixture of crows and eagles. The size of it was like a campervan and it took off with very large wingspan like a passenger plane as I approached it. There was a heavy wing flapping sound and the same on the road actually went up into the air . No doubt it’s not some illusion caused by lighting or optical effects as some experts claim . To this day the sighting is the most vivid thing on my mind.
And where do they usually see them in Texas?
What time was this? And how did you know it was a thunderbird?
No such thing. No evidence whatsoever. None.
Roger you obviously have never heard of Argentavis Magnificence have you? Argentavis according to the internet had a 25 foot or larger wingspan. There is your evidence right there! So you are not correct! Please check it out.