Strange happening

[Allen]

Last night near dark I was starting a small fire to do some grilling. I had just started and while watching the fire burn burn down a strong gust of wind hit my right elbow. I spun around quickly to see if a large animal had run up on me. There was nothing so I didn't think anything else about it. The air was otherwise calm.

I moved to the other side of the fire and within a few seconds the exact same thing happened (same elbow too). After that no more occurrences.

Here it comes: Have any of you had anything like this happen?

My best guess is a bat since they like darkness, don't run into things, fly like a bat out of hell and are fast. Nothing hit me or touched me, just a very close glance causing the wind.

Comments?

[Merc]

Bats aren’t the only possibility. Owls are completely silent flyers. Could you have been standing too close to a nest containing the owlets and were given a gentle warning?

[Allen]

I was pretty much in the open and in an area where I pass through often. If there was an owls nest nearby I would think they would have dive bombed me sooner but I will keep this thought in mind as I walk around.

[lyman]

Aliens,

[Allen]

Aliens,

Can't rule it out.

[Major Tom]

Ghost

[Allen]

Ghost

Somebody trying to tell me something?

- - - Updated - - -

For some reason I can't get the tune of "The Twilight Zone" out of my mind.

[Art]

LOL, well in addition to both the natural and supernatural possibilities at the right time of the year it could be a nighthawk, fast flying night hunters that are silent like bats and owls or even a large flying insect, though most big bugs to make noise.

[Merc]

Several years ago, I heard an owl calling from a branch of a tall tree in my back yard. Another owl was answering from far away. They kept up the 2-way conversation for about 2 or 3 minutes before it flew away. I pulled up owl calls on my PC and learned that they were great horned owls. We have several nesting pairs of bald eagles in and around Pittsburgh and great horned owls may be the only bird of prey that’s been observed attacking an eagle.

[Allen]

great horned owls may be the only bird of prey that’s been observed attacking an eagle.

I've only seen one and at a distance. They are huge.

[lyman]

we have Great Horned here, in abundance,

silent hunters, until they start hooting, which can be loud,

[Allen]

People need to be careful of letting their cats and small dogs roam freely in the yard. Even if the large birds can't pick up the pet they could do a lot of injury trying. Having their eyes gouged out and then eaten alive would be an awful bad way to go.

Although meant to be a comedy I often think about the Sandra Bullock movie "The Proposal" where an eagle picks up their small dog, flies high, then drops the dog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG9cbeYxMGA

[Phloating Phlasher]

It wouldn't need to be a huge bird to create quite a downdraft. I've had it happen with nervy hummingbirds!
We had one last year that got really comfortable getting in real close (3" or so) before "eekking" at me. I could feel a surprisingly large & strong wind from them.

[Allen]

It wouldn't need to be a huge bird to create quite a downdraft. I've had it happen with nervy hummingbirds!
We had one last year that got really comfortable getting in real close (3" or so) before "eekking" at me. I could feel a surprisingly large & strong wind from them.

Hadn't thought of that. There are sweet smelling flowers in the area too that I spoke of but do hummingbirds fly around at night?

[Art]

People need to be careful of letting their cats and small dogs roam freely in the yard. Even if the large birds can't pick up the pet they could do a lot of injury trying. Having their eyes gouged out and then eaten alive would be an awful bad way to go.

Although meant to be a comedy I often think about the Sandra Bullock movie "The Proposal" where an eagle picks up their small dog, flies high, then drops the dog.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uG9cbeYxMGA

Mexican eagle in that clip .

Yes it does happen, our daughter had a big Siamese tom cat that was snatched out of her back yard in Houston by an young bald eagle.