VALENCE D'AGEN (82) 09.04.2023

Late in the afternoon of 9 April 2023, a couple, T1 and T2, were walking in a garden in Valence-d'Agen (82) when T1 saw 2 UAPs for about 2 minutes. Twenty minutes later, T1 spotted another with similar appearance and behavior, and managed to film it. Only 1 account was collected. This case has moderate strangeness and good evidential support: 2 witnesses were present, but only 1 reported the sighting, and a video shows the UAP. GEIPAN defines evidential consistency as the amount of information in an account considered reliable and objectively supported. The investigation found that the objects were probably birds flying at fairly high altitude. It considered both balloons and birds (see the investigation report). Balloons have compatible characteristics, such as white color and brightness. However, the circular trajectories would require swirling winds, which Météo-France's AROME data do not confirm. Birds are more likely for these reasons: - The white color fits the white underside plumage of some birds. - The trajectories combine circles, used by birds to exploit rising air, with regular straight stretches. An ornithologist consulted felt the circles appeared smaller than usual. However, the camera's own movement makes the UAP's movements hard to judge in the video. - Wingbeats seem visible in the video, although this is uncertain. GEIPAN classifies the case B: probable bird sightings.