LOIRE-AUTHION (49) 23.07.2017

On 23 July 2017 at 00:41, a camper, T1, awoke, left his tent and looked at a clear sky. After a shooting star, he saw dozens of yellow lights—around 100—to the west, moving silently east. He woke his friend, T2, who saw 6–8 white points follow a straight path for 20–30 seconds and disappear well before the eastern horizon. No sound was heard. T1 watched for 2–3 minutes and considered sky lanterns but doubted them because every point had the same brightness. No additional account was collected. The witnesses called the location La Daguenière; the source notes that it became part of Loire-Authion (49) in 2016. GEIPAN considers the phenomena very probably birds, likely black-headed gulls, moving in a high group from feeding grounds to nesting or roosting grounds (see investigation report). Its supporting analysis describes the points as uniformly white and as bright as bright stars, consistent with white bird undersides reflecting ambient light from Angers a few kilometres away. This differs from T1’s initial yellow description. The birds’ small size and altitude would reduce them to points; their gregarious behaviour allows flocks of several hundred, irregularly grouped or in formation. The straight, constant-speed path fits. The viewing area lies near nesting grounds along the Loire and feeding areas around Angers. GEIPAN notes that birds return silently to roost around nightfall. Classification B: high probability of a flock of birds, probably black-headed gulls, travelling from Angers feeding grounds to nesting/roosting grounds.