Solokov: interesting tales. We had some similar weirds in Gippsland, back when I lived there. First time I ever camped there, before I went there to live, I was trout fishing near Cooper Creek on one of the tiny tributaries, and slept the night by the river. I was woken by an odd noise, a repetitive sharp chirp, like a spring peeper but louder. I lay there listening and enjoying the dawn, idly wondering what the noise was. Everything else was perfectly still, a lovely clear dewy morning, sun just hitting the tops of the trees. I was just thinking about getting up and dipping a line before breakfast, when something swooped me. The noise sped up and got louder, then this - thing- dived to within inches of my face. I saw it quite clearly, and I haven't the first idea what it was. Other than weird and incredibly beautiful.
It must have been nearly three feet long, flowing oil-on-water colours, stiff wings that spanned wider than its length (further across than the width of my swag), glittery and transparent like dragonfly wings. The eyes were large for the size of the thing, dark blues and greens, looked sort of faceted but not as much as the eyes of an insect, if that makes sense. It didn't hurt me, just barely brushed my face and whizzed off into the trees. It was certainly big enough and fast enough to have done damage if it had wanted to. Oddly, it wasn't scary, just amazing. I was just getting out of my swag when it swooped me again, then flew off and didn't come back. No sound, but I'd swear it was laughing.
Ever since, I listen for them when I am out that way, and find it comforting if I hear that noise.
