DATE:            April 1973

TIME:             5:30 A.M.

LOCATION:   Burke, New York  Franklin County

TERRAIN:      Swampy, Large pond on remote farm property

OBSERVED:     Immense bird - wingspan about 20 feet - standing in pond. Believe it had feathers.  Color battleship grey blue.

(Saw) Nothing else = just the huge bird.

ACTIVITIES OF WITNESS(ES):

DESCRIPTION OF CREATURE:     Immense bird - wingspan about 20 feet - standing in pond. Believe it had feathers.  Color battleship grey blue.  Had general blue heron proportions but was huge - this was no heron.  When it took off, it flew very deliberately.  It flapped its wings in a slow, leisurely manner. Flew low toward the Canadian border

OTHER NOTES:    My little German shepherd puppy had had an unfortunate experience with a porcupine the day before so when she woke me up at 5:30 am I thought I had better go out with her.  We started to walk down the dirt road that led to our pond when we both saw this immense bird.  We both stopped and stared.  The bird saw us and stared at us.  It did not seem alarmed. I was too amazed to be frightened.  My puppy, who was a fierce little thing, was completely silent.
 

OTHER SIGHTINGS IN THIS AREA:    I have reported this in the past to the Fortean Journal and to Mark Hall both of whom carried my description.  In fact Mr. Hall called me to confirm details.  You have an excellent web site and so I thought you might be interested.  I certainly am!