Early this morning, between 2:30 and 3:15, we were ALL awakened by a loud shrieking, screeching, screaming noise coming from the huge 90 year old purple beech in our neighbors yard to the west. Whatever is was, was high up in the tree at the top, noise seemed to be aimed at our 2nd story bedroom windows. Instead of barking her head off, Gigi low growled and whined, stayed on the bed with us as we listened for a while. ALL the cats including our new kitten were all in the bedroom with us with huge eyes, hair and tails fluffed out. Jamie woke up, and called for me, crying. I told Bill to go out and see what it was. He was reluctant.
I don't blame him, cuz there was something VERY strange about the shrieking noises. If I had any hair, it would've been standing on end.
It was at least as loud as howler monkeys that you see at the zoo...but shrieking, almost with a bit of a breaking glass element to the screams-shrieks-howls. There wasn't any prolonged howl or scream, it would break up and have high pitched squeals that would end abruptly. All the while loud enough so we had to shout over it.
Bill went outside, turned all the back lights on...the sound just kept on, seemed to get louder. Neighbors lights were on too.
Across the street at Ricks too, lights went on.
Nope, not a raccoon, I know the sounds of raccoons, especially when they are fighting...and raccoon don't get this loud.
Bill and I kept on saying, it sounds like those monkeys we saw at the zoo. And then that's when I thought maybe, whatever it was, could have been more than one animal. We both commented on Gigi's behavior, usually 'Cujo' style with any strange sounds outside, she was sticking close to us, hair raised, low growling. I was getting pretty scared too, and went back up to Jamies room, curled up in bed with her. Just after 3am, the sounds started getting a bit more intermittent...and the abruptly stopped. Maybe flew away?
We know it couldn't have been a monkey, but whatever it was, was as loud as a monkey.
I also thought maybe it was some kind of animal that was hit by a car and injured, but how could it have gotten so far up in that big old tree? And then screamed for so long? The tree has got to be over 60 feet tall, almost as wide. So dark purple it's nearly black. We tried to used a flashlight last night...but nothing was getting through the leaves.
Can't wait to talk to the neighbors today.
Jamie announced this morning she thinks it was a Pheonix.
What tales she will tell at school today!
