Lon Strickler of Phantoms & Monsters received a report earlier this month from a woman who said she encountered a “flying gargoyle” near Hoffman Estates, Illinois, in early December of 2019.

According to the initial email received by Strickler,

I believe I saw it as I was driving home from work, heading south on Barrington Road. It at first looked like a small plane, so I wasn't really paying much attention until it started flapping its wings and flying towards the preserve area as if to land. It was a split second sighting and I could not believe what I just saw.

Strickler was eventually able to interview the witness via telephone.

"The witness was traveling south near Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and just northeast of the Arthur L. Janura Forest Preserve in Cook County. This particular preserve is a sprawling, wooded, open location that is utilized by many of the local residents for recreation," Strickler said. "[She] stated that [the creature] was dark or black in color, and had a humanoid-shaped body. She was unable to see the head, but described the overall shape as a 'flying gargoyle.' The wingspan was quite wide, the reason why [she initially] thought that it was a plane. She was unable to make out the wing structure. She said that she observed the winged being for about 20 seconds or so, before it descended into the trees. She had actually thought about going into the preserve to investigate, but changed her mind since she had no idea what she may confront."

Like many witnesses, this one was strongly impacted by her experience and sought answers online, although she had no previous knowledge of the 'Mothman' sightings in her area.

"She later started searching for answers online, when she discovered a few sightings reported to me in the general area," Strickler explained. "In particular, the humanoid owl previously seen in October of 2019 by a couple in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, caught her attention. There was also a bat-like cryptid encountered in Barrington, Illinois, in September of 2019. As the witness continued reading the sighting reports, she eventually decided to contact me with her incident. She was unaware of any of the winged humanoid activity that had been occurring in the Chicagoland area prior to her sighting."

"The witness was very straight-forward and lucid. I truly believe that she witnessed something unexplained and out of the ordinary," he added.

Investigator Tobias Wayland with the Singular Fortean Society also received and investigated the previous sighting in Hoffman Estates noted by Strickler.

This is the most recently reported sighting in a series of unusual sighting reports that have taken place in the vicinity of O’Hare International Airport.

The sighting reports in this area so far include a March 3rd sighting by investigator Manuel Navarette of a strange flying creature with “membranous wings” near O’Hare International Airport, a February 21st sighting by a security guard of a “very tall…solid black” creature with “glowing red eyes” at O’Hare, a January 23rd report from a man who said he saw an “egg-shaped” object fly over O’Hare and shine a “brilliant blue light” to the ground, through which a “person” appeared to be taken aboard the craft, the December 6th sighting of a red-eyed, winged humanoid near O’Hare, a December 3rd report of a “red-eyed flying man” from a security person at O’Hare, a November 26th sighting of a seven-foot-tall “person with wings” outside of O’Hare, a September 29th sighting of a toddler-sized “bat creature…running like a gorilla” near Barrington, an October 30th sighting of a large, winged humanoid in Park Ridge, an October 29th report of a winged humanoid accompanied by several other beings who disappeared in a flash of blue light, a late October sighting of an “unknown flying human owl” in Hoffman Estates, an October 19th sighting of a “giant-sized bat” outside of the Edward Hotel in Rosemont, an October 5th sighting of a "tall creature" with "bright red eyes" and "large wings” near O’Hare, and a report from July of a six-foot-tall creature flying over the Des Plaines River near Rosemont.

In addition, a recent report out of Bensenville described an encounter had by a man who claimed he witnessed a “large, dark being” with “cape-like wings" in 2006.

These reports are seemingly related to a string of ‘Mothman’ sightings from within a few hundred mile radius surrounding Lake Michigan, including every state bordering the great lake. The sightings ostensibly began in the spring of 2017, but more historical accounts are being reported as more people become aware of the phenomenon. Sightings of weird winged beings around Lake Michigan have been reported at all hours, often in or near a park, and around water. Witnesses consistently describe a large, gray or black bat or bird-like creature—although in a small number of cases the creature was described as insect-like—sometimes with glowing or reflective red, yellow, or orange eyes; and humanoid features such as arms and legs are often reported. Many of the sightings are also of something seen only briefly or are described only as a flying creature with few details, which leaves open the possibility that a large avian being could explain some encounters. Sightings of anomalous avians, including thunderbirds and pterosaurs, are often reported in or near the same locations as those where witnesses have reported winged humanoids.

To report a sighting, reach out to us directly at the Singular Fortean Society through our contact page.

You can view a timeline of the Lake Michigan Mothman sightings so far here, and an interactive map here.