curiouscatamount Posted April 29, 2017 #1 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Hi All, I experienced a strange sighting about a month ago and wanted to see if anyone on here knew what I had seen or had a similar sighting. I live in Burlington, Vermont, and driving home from work one night, I saw a rather large winged creature perched on top of one of the street lights. I couldn't get the greatest look at it as it was dark, snowy, and I was driving around 50 mph, but from what I can remember, it had long, black flowing feathers, glowing (I'm assuming from the reflection from my headlights) eyes, and dangling/fleshy loose skin from the neck up. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good look at its face either as I was driving by so I can't give a better description, but its head was pretty sizeable for a bird (I'd say around the size of a football). I asked around on local Burlington forums and Craigslist and got some interesting feedback - most of which thought it was either a turkey or turkey vulture - but judging by the pictures I've looked up, I'm 90% sure that this isn't what I saw. I did receive one voicemail from Craigslist that really caught my interest with a sighting quite similar to mine, but the lady won't answer my calls when I call the number. Other than that, I haven't really had anything else that was helpful so I decided to come here. Does this sound like anything you have ever seen or heard of? I'm wondering if it may have been some sort of mutated bird? Or maybe it wasn't even a normal "bird" as the girl described her sighting as not having a beak. Any thoughts? I started a blog about it if you are interested in seeing all the feedback I have collected as I am still trying to piece everything together. www.curiositykilledthecatamount.wordpress.com Thanks for any information! -Christian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papageorge1 Posted April 29, 2017 #2 Share Posted April 29, 2017 First thing that jumps out at me is the fact that you were so intrigued by just a quick sighting to go to these lengths to learn more. Too bad you didn't pull over at your first chance and go back and investigate or take pictures. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toast Posted April 29, 2017 #3 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Batman wearing a feather boa, on the way to a secret drag-queen party. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Future ghost Posted April 29, 2017 #4 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Your description does sound a lot like a turkey vulture. I don't know if you have ever seen one or not, but they're very large birds, and I would imagine one would look quite imposing sitting atop a light pole. With no feathers on the neck or head, this seems to be the most likely explanation for what you saw. They don't look all that big when they're up in the sky flying, but when they're on the ground they're gigantic. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SecretSanta Posted April 30, 2017 #5 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Owl? Probably looked strange due the low light and shadows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totah Dine Posted April 30, 2017 #6 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and say what you might have sighted was either a Great Blue Heron or a Small Blue Heron (don't let the name fool you. They are still sizable birds). They love to perch on tall things and they have flowing feathers with a sort of waddle hanging down their necks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingitsune Posted April 30, 2017 #7 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Have you seen the beak? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+DieChecker Posted April 30, 2017 #8 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Might it have been a Raven? They can get pretty big. A lot bigger then a regular crow. Or, did the fleshy neck look red like a vulture? Maybe a Cormorant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.United_Nations Posted April 30, 2017 #9 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Was a wood stork? They have heads like a vulture Or this? https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhinga Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred_mc Posted April 30, 2017 #10 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I also came to think of a vulture when I read your description of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sakari Posted April 30, 2017 #11 Share Posted April 30, 2017 Quote I saw a rather large winged creature perched on top of one of the street lights. (I'm assuming from the reflection from my headlights) I would say you really need to get your headlights adjusted, badly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt221 Posted April 30, 2017 #12 Share Posted April 30, 2017 The Raven i had looked massive when he was crouched up,he even used to impress me sometimes when he would fly onto my fist and"Mantle"what ever food I happened to have for him,however I never saw him fly in the dark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Unicorn Posted April 30, 2017 #13 Share Posted April 30, 2017 18 hours ago, curiouscatamount said: Hi All, I experienced a strange sighting about a month ago and wanted to see if anyone on here knew what I had seen or had a similar sighting. I live in Burlington, Vermont, and driving home from work one night, I saw a rather large winged creature perched on top of one of the street lights. I couldn't get the greatest look at it as it was dark, snowy, and I was driving around 50 mph, but from what I can remember, it had long, black flowing feathers, glowing (I'm assuming from the reflection from my headlights) eyes, and dangling/fleshy loose skin from the neck up. Unfortunately, I didn't get a good look at its face either as I was driving by so I can't give a better description, but its head was pretty sizeable for a bird (I'd say around the size of a football). I asked around on local Burlington forums and Craigslist and got some interesting feedback - most of which thought it was either a turkey or turkey vulture - but judging by the pictures I've looked up, I'm 90% sure that this isn't what I saw. I did receive one voicemail from Craigslist that really caught my interest with a sighting quite similar to mine, but the lady won't answer my calls when I call the number. Other than that, I haven't really had anything else that was helpful so I decided to come here. Does this sound like anything you have ever seen or heard of? I'm wondering if it may have been some sort of mutated bird? Or maybe it wasn't even a normal "bird" as the girl described her sighting as not having a beak. Any thoughts? I started a blog about it if you are interested in seeing all the feedback I have collected as I am still trying to piece everything together. www.curiositykilledthecatamount.wordpress.com Thanks for any information! -Christian Sounds like a turkey vulture or a stork to me. They are huge birds ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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