I recently posted a note about being 'buzzed' a coupleof weeks back by a
large, tight flock of pigeons in some woodland down Texas/Stanthorpe way in
SE Qld.
One email response (from my son Owen as it happens) was:
Whilst bushwalking in or near Lamington NP on Saturday, Andrew Hillhouse and
friends were assailed by a very fast-moving and very loud, tight cluster of
unidentified, stocky birds. They were walking along a spur and the birds
came from above, practically diving into the forest below. The sound Andy
described was that of an aeroplane moving very quickly but with its engines
off! His instinctive response was to 'hit the deck' and he's not the type to
overreact. His friends described a tight bunch of ten or so birds.
This is remarkably similar to my own experience - repeated here for the
purpose of comparison - even down to considering hitting the deck! But still
a ufo:
We were in somewhat open forest alongside a wide meandering creek when we
were startled, and I do mean startled, by the sound of what initially could
well have been a very large swarm of approaching insects, but a sound that
grew rapidly both in volume and intensity as it clearly approached us at
speed. Before we had time even to say what we were all thinking ("What on
earth is that!"), a tight flock of maybe 30 to 40 large-bodied pigeons
appeared through the trees close by, a little above head-height moving
rapidly and strongly through the open woodland, their collective wings all
the while producing an intense dynamic sound which continued to grow until
they passed us, dropping almost Dopler-like as they quickly disappeared from
our view.
These birds were packed into a very tight and compact unit, flying with
speed and purpose as they burst into and out of our consciousness, all in
the space of maybe ten seconds. The dominant impression of colour was of a
rich brown, maybe the underwing of a bronzewing pigeon?
I am still keen to hear from anyone else who has experienced anything
similar - especially if they think they know what the birds were.
Bill Jolly
"Abberton",
Lockyer Valley, Queensland.
Visit our website at http://www.abberton.org
Email:
Ph: (+61) 7 4697 6111 Fax: (+61) 7 4697 6056
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