Sighting in Quimper, October 16, 2023

Two witnesses were on the terrace of their house at about 9:15 pm when they noticed three faintly glowing orange points in the sky to the west. One witness saw the points forming a triangle, while the other saw three separate lights. The group moved silently and horizontally along a steady, straight path, about 20° above the horizon. After a few seconds it disappeared behind a neighbouring house. There was no photo or video, but each witness completed a Technical Questionnaire, and a field investigation with cognitive interviews was carried out.

The strong sense of strangeness, especially for one witness, came from the object's apparent speed. With no visible reference point in the night sky, its distance could not be judged, so it seemed very far away and very fast. The triangular arrangement also pointed that witness towards an unusual aircraft.

The investigation ruled out aircraft (no noise, a constant 45° tilt, no radar trace), drones (the object was too large for the absence of noise, or it would have required three machines at once) and sky lanterns (wind direction incompatible). The most plausible explanation was three birds with white underparts lit by the city's orange streetlights. At that distance each bird had an angular size under one degree, and at night, over a very short time, the witnesses could only make out their bodies. The association Bretagne Vivante said these could have been three cattle egrets, common in the area and active at night, returning late to their roost. The GEIPAN classified the case as B: probable sighting of three birds lit by urban lighting.