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Hello, I just registered for my account. I'm a bird enthusiast and wildlife enthusiast all around. (1 Viewer)

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ChrisBurnett

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United States
I hope that someone will please help me. 15 years ago I had a very special event happen to me that involves a very unique and very unusual type of giant white bird. I was going through a very difficult emotional time back then, I knelt down beside my bed and prayed to God/Jesus for help. It was around 9:00 pm and I could not sleep. After praying I sat down at my kitchen table and started to talk to God again, my conversation lasted about an hour. When I was though I decided to walk out my front door and I immediately saw a small flock, maybe 12 birds circling over my house. They were flying very low. What threw me off was the size and colors of the birds. They were snow white but they had the giant circles like the capital letter O under each of their wings. They were gorgeous! But the O's were reflective. It's was as if they were illuminated! The color was like a reflective or glowing giant goldish green. The circles. The birds were all snow white in color. The wingspan was at least 8 or 9 feet across. I've looked up this bird on the Internet giving the description I did and I CAN FIND NOTHING! I've been looking for years. I even contacted my local university to help. No one new of a bird like this. I felt like and still feel like they were angelic in some way. They appeared that night and through the weekend flying over my house alone. My neighbor's saw them, but they only flew at night. Where they went during the day I do not know. But at 11:00 pm they showed up for three consecutive nights. I've never seen them again. Can a professional please help me? I've been searching for 15 years for an answer as to the type of birds these were. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much I advance!
 
Mono said:
Where in the world did this happen?
What time of year was it?
Click to expand...
Hello, thanks for your reply.
It happened in a small town called Lumberton Tx. I believe it was around the holidays, possibly Halloween or Thanksgiving. It's been quite some time. But I definitely remember the birds and how they appeared over my home after praying to God for spiritual protection. I know how that may sound to some, possibly not you but to a lot of people it may make my story to incredible to believe. " Noncredible " but it the absolute truth. Id give anything if I still had the video that recorded on my old phone. It was destroyed by dropping it into a river close to our house. Can you possibly think of the type of birds they were?
 
Hi, welcome to the forum. Sorry, can’t help out with this one.
 
If it was around here - Massachusetts - I would guess Great Egret. Maybe down in Texas there are more interesting options like cranes or condors or something? There aren't many huge white birds. I would start flipping through your field guide looking for big white ones.

White pelican maybe? If there are any local resources like a birding store or a club or someone that leads birding tours you could ask them - local knowledge is usually best.
 
Estimating size of birds in flight is notoriously difficult. Given the location and time of year, large white birds with dark areas on the wing, flying in a group, my guess would be snow geese.
 
ChrisBurnett said:
I hope that someone will please help me. 15 years ago I had a very special event happen to me that involves a very unique and very unusual type of giant white bird. I was going through a very difficult emotional time back then, I knelt down beside my bed and prayed to God/Jesus for help. It was around 9:00 pm and I could not sleep. After praying I sat down at my kitchen table and started to talk to God again, my conversation lasted about an hour. When I was though I decided to walk out my front door and I immediately saw a small flock, maybe 12 birds circling over my house. They were flying very low. What threw me off was the size and colors of the birds. They were snow white but they had the giant circles like the capital letter O under each of their wings. They were gorgeous! But the O's were reflective. It's was as if they were illuminated! The color was like a reflective or glowing giant goldish green. The circles. The birds were all snow white in color. The wingspan was at least 8 or 9 feet across. I've looked up this bird on the Internet giving the description I did and I CAN FIND NOTHING! I've been looking for years. I even contacted my local university to help. No one new of a bird like this. I felt like and still feel like they were angelic in some way. They appeared that night and through the weekend flying over my house alone. My neighbor's saw them, but they only flew at night. Where they went during the day I do not know. But at 11:00 pm they showed up for three consecutive nights. I've never seen them again. Can a professional please help me? I've been searching for 15 years for an answer as to the type of birds these were. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much I advance!
Click to expand...
I have a friend named ChatGPT, and he says quite a lot about this:

The description of the birds with a wingspan of 8 or 9 feet, snow-white bodies, and distinctive reflective or glowing goldish-green circles under their wings is quite unique and doesn’t perfectly match any known bird species. However, considering the location (Lumberton, Texas) and the timing (around the holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving), it’s possible that this sighting might involve the following possibilities:

  1. American White Pelican: These birds are large, with a wingspan of up to 9 feet, and they are snow-white with black wingtips. However, they do not have reflective or glowing circles under their wings, so this doesn’t fully match the description.
  2. Great Egret or White Ibis: Both are large, white birds found in Texas, but their wingspan and size don’t quite reach the 8-9 feet range, nor do they have the reflective markings described.
  3. Migratory Swans: Species like Tundra Swans or Trumpeter Swans can have large wingspans and might be seen migrating, though they don’t match the reflective circle pattern described.
  4. Unusual Lighting or Optical Illusion: The description of glowing or reflective goldish-green circles could suggest an optical effect, possibly due to unusual lighting conditions, reflections, or even artificial decorations around the holidays (like kites, drones, or decorative lights) that could be mistaken for birds.
  5. Mythical or Misinformed Sighting: Sometimes, bird sightings can be confused with large kites, remote-controlled objects, or other man-made items, especially if they are illuminated or reflective.
Given the lack of any bird species with those specific glowing markings, it seems likely that either an optical effect or a misidentification could be at play. If there were any holiday decorations, large kites, or drones involved, that might explain the reflective circles and unusual appearance described.
 
what about trumpeter Swans? They are largest North American bird, I read. here's a photo I found and it "appears to show a circle under wing near body--street lighting and correct angle might make it appear reflective..I have no clue
1728595762039.png
 

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