"Now, Just Watch the Birdies"

by Graham Conway

On the 15th December, 1996, three young boys "E", "K" and "N", all around eleven years of age, were walking down Regent Street, in Steveston Village, Richmond, when they were suddenly confronted by six green glowing balls of light. The size of tennis balls, they approached the youngsters and proceeded to put on a most amazing aerial display. Not only did they maneuver around the boys in close proximity, but also zipped in between the nearby houses. The time was around 8:00 PM.

On one occasion a light ball elongated itself until it was no more than a very thin line, then apparently "entered"(?) a nearby tree, as if it had merged with it.

Some time later the boys were astonished to see one such light enter the back of a companion, equally promptly emerging from his stomach. The stricken youth merely said "ouch". As far as can be determined he suffered no ill effects.

Time it would seem came to a standstill, as total silence enveloped them. . . . (the Oz factor?). The boys later commented that although they saw a plane and helicopter pass by, they heard no accompanying sound.

One of the boys also said that during this prolonged acrobatic display a light ball stopped alongside him as if to observe the youth more closely. During this period of observation, a large craft approached that the witnesses said was bronze in colour, the size of a house (30 ft?) and about 60 feet up. It remained stationary for an undetermined period.

Quite suddenly one of these Kamikazi pilots failed to pull out of a steep dive and splattered into the surface of the road. Bits of light scattered everywhere. The boys dashed over but a careful search revealed not a trace of anything. As they stood together mystified, a second light ball landed about twenty feet away from "K". He ran over to find an orange glowing peach-sized object on the surface of the road. Kicking it with his foot the object rolled into a pool of water, producing a sizzling sound. After a few moments, "K" picked it up. The size (now) of a marble, it was smooth to the touch and when placed in his pocket felt like an ice cube, it was so cold.

By this time the boys decided another witness was needed, so they dashed into his home to get mother to confirm these incredible events. Alas, she arrived only in time to see a light ball disappear behind a nearby house.

By this time, "K" thought it would be a very good idea if he called his Dad, who, when arriving at the scene of this super active encounter and whilst listening to this incredible tale, was told by his son that one of "them" was behind him. The father told me that he had noticed his son’s face was illuminated as he listened to him recount the recent experience. Then, as he turned, he saw the light fade on his son’s face. He also added that despite the mind boggling events described he had confidence in his son and believed him.

Only two other points are noteworthy in this account. One, and quite probably most important, is that 1 ½ hours had lapsed! So an unanswered question here might be, did something else happen that they have no memory of? Secondly, the boys also commented that a "strange" van was parked down the street that the boys felt was watching them.

The following year, almost to the day, "E" left his home and again saw another green ball of light. He promptly returned home. This year, 1998, only this time April 15th, "E" and "K" again saw another two green balls of light at a different street location but also close to home. Again the boys returned home right away.

Interestingly enough, the father of "K" told me that whilst driving along Williams Road in Richmond he had a fleeting impression that a baseball sized, gray coloured object zipped across his field of vision, in between a post and a nearby tree.

Finally, a small coincidence should be acknowledged. At two of the described sighting locations, (one of which I did not identify) Dorothy Izatt has resided in the past. This media famous lady is notable for the multitude of films that she has recorded showing strange lights in the sky over and around the very same area these boys had their own strange lengthy sighting.