 |
| Witness' rendering of the Ashton, WV flying manta ray |
I received the following report Tuesday evening...the day of the sighting:
On February 21, 2012, I was driving home after a workout and some grocery shopping. I was driving down highway 460 East in Lynchburg, VA when something flew in front of my car, swooped upwards and then was gone. I actually asked myself, "was that a freaking sting ray?" It was smooth, white and about 3 feet wide, maybe wider. It was the strangest thing I have ever seen in my life. I am not a believer in aliens, paranormal, etc., but I know I saw something, and it wasn't normal at all. I wonder how many other people have seen this creature. - MEF
So far, this is all the information I have on this particular sighting. After plotting the locations on a map there does seem to be a 'pattern' or general overall location of most of these sightings. So far, I have received reports from:
- Near Ashton, WV
- Hampton Bays, NY
- Near Bluefield, WV
- Hebron, KY
- Elk River, Clay County, WV
- Lynchburg, VA
UPDATE: More information from the witness:
It was between Lynchburg, VA and Concord, VA - approximately 1/10 mile from Falwell Airport. You can search for Falwell Airport, Lynchburg, VA on Google Maps. There is a small patch of trees between the airport and a small plaza. This is where I saw it.
This creature was solid white, and as I said, about 3 feet wide, but may have been wider. There were no feathers to suggest it was a bird. I was trying to find owls online that have this similarity, but couldn't find any. There was no head and was very smooth - unlike a sting ray, I did not notice a tail/stinger. It swooped down in front of my car and then up over the windshield and disappeared into the night. It was approximately 9:15pm EST.
I looked for it coming home today and didn't see it! It was the strangest thing I have ever seen in my life! MEF
-----
Here is a possible related sighting that was originally reported to MUFON in December 2011. I was eventually contacted by the witness after MUFON refused to investigate. Here's the original unedited MUFON CMS report:
Case Number: 34033
Log Number: US-12152011-0005
Submitted Date: 2011-12-15 09:52 GMT
Event Date: 2011-12-07 00:00 GMT
Status: Assigned
City: Greeneville
Region: Tennessee
Country: US
Longitude: -82.8309861
Latitude: 36.1631574
Shape: Other
Distance: Unknown
Description: I was taking a picture of the pretty night farmland at night.The dark mountains and the blue sky with the lights of the farm houses lit up here and there. It was a beautiful scenic shot. When I looked back on the back of the camera to see what I'd gotten and if I wanted to try another angle,...there was a 'pink drape' hanging down close in the air.Because I have hundreds of pictures over the past three years in this entire viewing area, I was amazed but not surprised when something was there but the object was something I hadn't exactly gotten before.I have however, gotten three other 'cloaking or shields' in the last two months.One was a huge triangle of light over the mountain and the other two look like a thick bed sheet doubled over hanging in the air.(You can see the fold where the back on one side is off from the front.)I showed that to the 'local' mufon guy) I didn't see the object with my eyes so by the time I saw it on the camera it wasn't there.I don't know how or where it disappeared.However,I then took pictures of the night view in the opposite direction and got the neighbors double lighted two lampposts in their drive.The first came out perfect and then the next I got a very strange contortion of lighting...It formed a thin see through substance in the form of a tent and the top folded over like a four fold envelope. Both of these images can be seen on the local Sky Watchers facebook sight.There are about eighteen people who joined together to share the stuff we see. Several of us have cameras and we are getting a lot ogf the same stuff as far as various bright lighted 'balls' in a lot of colors.Sometime alone other times joined with one to five others.For the 'pink drape' I am the only one to see it...(actually I didn't even see it...the camera picked it up)So the answer below to witness is not how many are seeing the other things...That is at least ten I'm not sure how to attach the photos.If you have more than four or they don't match the descriptions above,delete them and get back with me I haven't sent the other 'shields or 'cloaking' as I'm not sure these are going to go through(not too computer savvy)
-----
I have had the images that were supplied by the witness analyzed by two independent specialists...neither could verify what the anomalies were though they both thought the orange back light may have contributed to some of the anomalies. I can't say if these are anyway related to the flying manta ray sightings but I decided to attach it with the new report anyway. I will say that the witness has been persistent and frustrated by the lack of answers to this point. All I can do is offer it 'as is'. The witness has requested I make these available to the readers and public in order to obtain their opinions...Lon
Monsters of West Virginia: Mysterious Creatures in the Mountain State
Many of 'Phantoms and Monsters' cryptid reports are included in Rosemary Ellen Guiley's new book