During November, 1997, I briefly raised a slightly unusual topic:

"On 24 June, 1947, Kenneth Arnold, a successful salesman and
experienced search and rescue pilot, took off in his small plane
from Chehalis, Washington en route to Yakima. Close to Mineral,
Washington and about 25 miles from Mount Rainier, he noticed a
formation of 9 unidentified objects flying from north to south".

Thus began the story of an event with a truly extraordinary
legacy and a frenzied media misconception which resulted in a
popularised depiction of 'flying saucers', even though Arnold
actually described unfamiliar "crescent-shaped" and "bat-like"
objects. It was in fact their undulating flight which Arnold,
using a peculiar simile, said was 'like a saucer if you skipped
it across water'.

As I had an interest in researching UFO lore, plus a reasonable
knowledge of military aviation and birds, when I analysed the
evidence, there seemed to be only one logical conclusion - those
original 'flying saucers' surely had to be a formation of birds.

As those most likely to offer an expert opinion were Pacific
North-west birders, I detailed Arnold's description of the nine
objects' flight characteristics and asked if there was any
endemic species which might be indicated.

Michael Price, Richard Rowlett and Don Baccus suggested a
previously unconsidered, conceivable explanation; that Kenneth
Arnold could have observed a formation of American White
Pelicans. Specifically, Michael cited, "A small southbound flock
of failed - or non-breeder American White Pelicans".

A primary obstacle was that Arnold reported those objects to be
some 25 miles distant. If the pelican hypothesis did have a firm
foundation, there had to be something amiss with Arnold's
perception and maybe evidence of this could yet be found in his
testimonies, even more than 50 years later.

He explained how all nine objects seemed to momentarily disappear
behind what he described as a "jagged peak" or "sharp projection"
on Mt. Rainier and how he relied on this as an indication of
their distance. In later years, Arnold was unable to identify
which peak this was - it seems there are in fact no suitable
candidates at the altitude he recalled. Following my enquiries
elsewhere, local expertise confirms Arnold's full description
almost certainly, if not definitely, identifies Little Tahoma, on
the mountain's eastern side. The problem is, he reaffirmed how
those enigmatic objects flew down the western side of Mt. Rainier
- between his location near Mineral and the mountain's slopes. It
was against the backdrop of these slopes, he said, that their
shape could be discerned.

However, if their trajectory was truly beyond Little Tahoma, far
to the east, they couldn't possibly have been observed on the
west of Rainier.

The default explanation is that the objects only appeared to pass
behind Little Tahoma, when in fact, they absolutely must have
travelled in front of it.

Evidently, Arnold's perception could therefore have been, quite
literally, miles out and the door was duly open to perhaps
resolve this enduring mystery.


Of ornithological interest, my research included the wonderful
and immensely helpful account of a glider pilot who was joined in
flight by these gregarious birds, which seemed quite happy to
accept him as 'one of their own'. See:

http://www.capistrano.com/LESC/lesca5.htm

Also located was a possibly long-forgotten and informative
[November] 1943, 'National Geographic' feature entitled 'Pelican
Profiles'.

Michael Price wrote: "Arthur C. Clarke recounts in one of his
1960's nonfiction books (Profiles of the Future'?) a similar
sighting of 'skipping saucers' off the coast of Sri Lanka that
(as he knew they would) turned out to be gulls with sunlight
reflecting off the water onto their underwings where it was
alternatively visible and invisible in a regular pulsating
pattern". I followed up Michael's reference and obtained a copy
of Clarke's full account - it comes from his 1958 non-fiction
essay, `Things in the Sky'.

Amongst a number of other significant developments, during my
investigations an acquaintance and UFO historian in the US (I
live in Scotland) was researching the earliest local newspaper
accounts of the 'flying saucer' hysteria, when he came across a
story which probably never received prominence as it was a solved
case. Within four weeks of Arnold's sighting and in the same
locale, _nine_ 'disc-like' objects had been witnessed by an
aircrew, as revealed by the 'New Westminster British Columbian'
of Saturday, July 12, 1947:

'SAYS FLYING SAUCERS ARE PELICANS'

Spokane, Wash., July 12 (BUP).

A veteran Northwest Airlines pilot who has flown over the Pacific
northwest's "flying saucer" country for 15 years today took all
the glamor out of the mystery of the flying discs.

All that people have been seeing, he said, are pelicans. Or maybe
geese or swans.

Capt. Gordon Moore disclosed that he and his co-pilot, Vern
Kesler were saucer-hunting last Wednesday on a regular flight
between here and Portland, Ore. Kesler was sure he had seen some
flying saucers on July 2, and the pilots were armed with movie
cameras and binoculars for another encounter.

"Suddenly we spotted nine big round disks weaving northward two
thousand feet below us," Moore related.

"We investigated and found they were real all right --- real
pelicans."
[End]

In the context of my own research, this story was an unexpected
and consequential discovery.


Finally confident that Arnold's mysterious aerial artefacts could
be significantly evidenced as, in all probability, American White
Pelicans, I have now published the results of some three years
research.

The August issue of 'Fortean Times' magazine, a highly regarded
British publication focusing on the _scientifically founded_
'strange but true', features the story on its front cover,
editorial and in a centrepiece, six-page article.

The fundamental contributions from Michael Price, Richard Rowlett
and Don Baccus are fully attributed therein.

As an exclusive to the Tweeters forum and by way of a think you,
I have scanned the article, plus related material [8 pages] and
it can be viewed on my web site at:

http://www.ufoworld.co.uk/arnold/ft1.jpg

to

http://www.ufoworld.co.uk/arnold/ft8.jpg

A text copy [this may differ slightly from what was published - I
haven't had time to check!] can also be downloaded from:

http://www.ufoworld.co.uk/arnold/article.txt


Since this was written, there has been further, important
progress. A paper entitled, "Bounding and Undulating Flight in
Birds", by J. M. V. Rayner, published in the 'Journal of
Theoretical Biology' [(1985) volume 117, pages 47-77] and its
significant relevance to the Arnold case is explained in the
latest edition of the 'Voyager' newsletter I publish - see:

http://www.ufoworld.co.uk/v13.txt


One aspect which has remained a puzzle is the specularity Arnold
attributed to the nine objects. He described reflections as 'like
an arc light' - this was in "perfect" flying conditions and
visibility. I'm now aware that White Pelicans do have a glossy
plumage and "anoint themselves with oil that they squeeze from a
gland in the skin at the base of their tail" ['The Life of
Birds', by Sir David Attenborough, page 53].

If there's further evidence of how reflective they can be, I
would be grateful for any references.

I'm also still looking for images showing the full profile of a
White Pelican as photographed from above, or anything similar,
taken when they are gliding. Understandably, most photographs of
them in flight are taken from below!

Although I have been able to study film of American White
Pelicans in formation, I don't have access to video capture
technology and it would be helpful if I could let others see for
themselves the undulating, flapping and gliding flight
characteristics which are so distinctive. I believe the 'Birds of
North America' CD, published by 'Thayer Birding Software'
includes "a video of the American White Pelican" as a media file.
If there are no copyright issues, is this, or any other footage
[mpeg, Real Movie or QuickTime, etc.], available to download?

I appreciate this is essentially 'off topic', however, I hope the
'Fortean Times' article is of interest and welcome any feedback -
especially facts which either reinforce or question the existing
evidence [is 'Little Tahoma' assuredly 'Arnold's peak', or is
there another candidate?]. Please don't hesitate to e-mail myself
directly.

The 'Fortean Times' article is subject to standard copyright,
however please feel free to make 'fair use' of the contents if
you wish to highlight this story elsewhere as a news item, etc.


Best wishes,

James Easton.
E-mail: voyager at ufoworld.co.uk


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