Early 21st Century Encounter with 'Owlman' Reported in Alsip, Illinois

Lon Strickler of Phantoms & Monsters was contacted recently by a witness who said she’d seen an ‘Owlman’ in the Chicago suburb of Alsip in the summer of 2003.

According to the report received by Strickler:

I recently came across your article on the Chicago Owlman. I, along with another witness, have seen this creature, or one similar. This was somewhere between 2001-2004. We were quite young at the time. This was in Alsip, [Illinois], right by the intersection of 128th [Place] and Cicero [Avenue]. I even have screenshots of when I casually brought up the encounter again in 2015 to the other witness to corroborate. We both remember the encounter vividly.
I had only a silhouetted view, but I can best describe the creature as: large, about the size of a large human man. Massive wings that it held up in a defensive/pre-flight posture out from its sides, and a human-like head that seemed to have no distinguishable features, save for two very large, almost glowing yellow owl-like eyes.
The creature sifted through the hedge bushes and came up to the bay window of the room we were occupying, making a loud noise as it slammed/pressed its body up against the window, its eyes staring right at us in the room. This creature nearly took up the bay window's whole space, and it stayed there once it hit the window, unlike an owl who accidentally flew into it. It was no regular owl. Much too large, as the silhouette was massive and the eyes were the size of baseballs.
Being young, my friend and I quickly vacated the room in terror and alerted my sleeping father who immediately searched the perimeter of the house, yet nothing was found.
I nearly teared up reading your witness accounts on the website as it struck very close to home for me, as the image is still burned into my mind to this day.
If you need any more information, don't hesitate to contact me at any time. My experience has been a huge point of interest in my mind ever since it happened, and I would love nothing more than to assist you in your investigation in any way.

Strickler was able to interview the witness over the telephone.

"It seems this incident occurred in the summer of 2003," Strickler said. "[The witness] was very credible in her description of the event, including the emotions and reactions by both her and the friend. They both remember the details of the incident, which left an indelible impression with both witnesses."

The reported encounter occurred within close proximity to another sighting from 2018. That sighting was reported by a married trucking couple who claimed to have seen a winged humanoid resembling a “large owl” at around 12:30 a.m. on October 26th, 2018 in Alsip, Illinois.

This sighting location is just southwest of Chicago and approximately 11 miles from Lake Michigan.

This is the latest news in a string of ‘Mothman’ sightings from within a few hundred mile radius surrounding Lake Michigan, including every state bordering the great lake. These sightings ostensibly began in the spring of 2017, but more historical accounts are being reported as more people become aware of the phenomenon. Sightings of weird winged beings around Lake Michigan have been reported at all hours, often in or near a park, and around water. Witnesses consistently describe a large, gray or black bat or bird-like creature—although in a small number of cases the creature was described as insect-like—sometimes with glowing or reflective red, yellow, or orange eyes; and humanoid features such as arms and legs are often reported. Many of the sightings are also of something seen only briefly or are described only as a flying creature with few details, which leaves open the possibility that a large avian being could explain some encounters. Sightings of anomalous avians, including thunderbirds and pterosaurs, are often reported in or near the same locations as those where witnesses have reported winged humanoids.

To report a sighting, reach out to us directly at the Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.

You can view a timeline of the sightings so far here, and an interactive map here.

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