CRYPTOZOOLOGY

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CRYPTOZOOLOGY

thunderbird sighting in central il
posted by cryptid <amish_eleet@yahoo.com> on February 5, 2002, 8:31 am

It all started when me and my friend started our nightly weekend ghost hunt or well drive in the summer of 2001. We gased up the car stockup on smokes and mountain dew and head off in the back roads of a small town named Canton,IL. We have been driving for about 7hrs justmessing around and it was getting to be light outside. We were driving around this plot of land owned by the state and use to for what i think is waste disposal in old abandoned strip mines. the area is very well gaurded and secure. All one can do mainly is drive around the parameter of the land via old access roads. Well i was driving and she was in the passenger seat. It was about 6am plently of light,when out of the corner of my eye I caught this huge black mass. I stop the car pulled over and got out quick for about what seemed liked forever and only 20seconds or so we saw these enourmous black birds flying down onto the ground. The ground was elevated here and there, so we could not see them land, however we guesstamated them at least 15 or more in wing spand. We figure maybe ultralight(those not famaliar are large prop driving gliders that can hold no more then one man, and fly pretty low). Then we realized they were far to low to the secured land. we guessed then cranes or vultures, which wings spand spread a good distance. Still these were huge, like the size of a glider. We drove around for like 2 hours trying to find a higher ground to view thier landing and no such luck, the place is tight with gates so we couldn't gain access. All i can say is my description of them.

Wing Spand- 15-20ft easily
All black feathers, and gliding in for a landing
it appeared to resemble a very unusually large crow

all i know is that in 1974 in Tremont IL like some 60miles from canton a large bird was sited pickin gup a small boy and traveling a few feet. so i know that this could be that bird

Thunderbird in Northern Illinois
posted by M.J. Eaton <matt@slowpokerecords.com> on February 3, 2002, 1:26 am

It was an average summer day for us ten-year-olds. It was a day just like any other before it. We saw the same people, we watched the same cars drive by, and we heard the same animals making the same noises they always make. There we were, the four us, taking a break from playing basketball and for some reason I looked up.

There it was the biggest bird I had ever seen flying out of the western sky, but I wasnt sure it really was a bird. When I first saw it I was certain it was one of those custom made biplanes, that was just made to look like a bird. However, I noticed there wasnt any noise coming from its engines. Thats when the beasts wings flapped. It was at that time I realized I was actually staring at a bird bigger then any I had ever seen in my life.

I shouted at my three friends to look up, partly so they could see this giant bird and partly so Id have someone to tell me if I was seeing things or not. At the time I wasnt sure if any of them did look up, my eyes were fixed on the bird. I continued to watch it as it flew over my house, then off into the eastern sky. The entire sighting was only about 30 seconds, but those 30 seconds were etched into my mind forever.

The bird itself was probably around 6 to 10 feet in length. As for its wingspan, I am certain that it was at least around 25 feet, maybe bigger. It was a dark brown color with no other marks that I could see. On thing that stands out in my mind is its huge claws. I had seen both vultures and birds of preys claws and something about these made me think of a bird of prey. The only part of the bird that I didnt get a good look at was its head. All I can remember seeing is its beak, and that was only for a brief moment.

As for the other three witnesses, I am certain that two of them saw the bird too. As for the third one, he wasnt around when I looked to see if anyone else was present after the bird was out of my view. As for one of the other witnesses, at the time of the sighting, and for a while after it, he agreed that we saw a rather large bird, but a couple of months after the sighting he said he didnt remember seeing anything. As for the fourth witness, he has always agreed that we saw a giant bird that day. He remembers it being a dark color, but isnt sure which color because the sun was in his eyes from his viewpoint. One thing we dont agree on about the bird is its size. He thinks it was slightly bigger, around 12 feet with a wingspan of about 30 feet.

That sighting was seven years ago and to this day Im not sure what it was. I know it wasnt a vulture or a hawk of some kind, because I see those all the time around here. After reading about thunderbirds I believe that is what it was. I just wish I could get a glimpse of it again, one then I can be certain if all I saw was my imagination taking over for a moment, or a truly massive bird roaming the Midwestern skies.