Posted on 06/24/2015 10:11:31 AM PDT by Red Badger
A new phenomenon is sweeping across Sparta as more and more students come forward claiming to have encountered the flightless Dodo bird. Caught somewhere between a pigeon and a dove with its gray feathers and unmistakable yellow scowl, the Dodo bird stood at an intimidating one meter tall back in the 17th century when it became extinct--barely a century after its discovery.
The Dodo bird was not known for its impact on this planet while it lived, but, rather, remains a point of contention and activism because of its death. The extinction of this bird has been overwhelmingly attributed to human intervention, including the hunting of the Dodo, the introduction of invasive species, and the destruction of its natural habitat. Now, six Sparta students have come forward to share stories of their encounter with this lost creature.
Victoria Vatter, junior, was driving from her AP History test when she saw a bird, maybe 30 to 40 pounds, passing through bushes along 517. “I saw a bright yellow face on this huge bird digging around under this dead tree. I called my mom to tell her and when I looked back to where it was, I couldn’t find it.”
Vatter says later that day she looked through dozens of pictures of birds to come to the definite conclusion that it was the Dodo bird she had spotted.
Matt Hastings, junior, tells a similar tale. After a long bout with his AP Psychology exam, Matt headed home only to find an unrecognizable animal walking aimlessly behind his shed. Hastings could not get a perfect view of the bird, but corroborates Victoria’s recollection of a distinct yellow face. After doing his own research, Matt came to an identical conclusion about the mysterious scavenger.
Sean Lowery, sophomore, and Elena Insley, 2011 graduate of SHS, both spotted a similar yellow-faced creature after their AP Biology exam near what is now the Job Lot, saying the animal was digging around the Salvation Army bins when it wandered off out of sight.
Jamie Barker, teacher of English, claims to have seen Big Foot, but not the Dodo bird.
Sophomores Liam Armstrong and Will McKenna were picked up by Liam’s mom after an AP Chemistry test. As they passed over the train tracks, both were in awe at what was standing down the tracks. Will, an avid bird watcher and amateur ornithologist, stated, “I’d spot the Dodo bird anywhere-- it is the archetype of endangered species. It looked directly at me with its glaring yellow face and I looked back at the shamed history of human insensitivity towards the natural world.”
Though the Dodo bird inhabited the island of Mauritius, the mounting stories of this creature stir fear, criticism, and confusion. While these six students cling adamantly to their memories, the public still remains skeptical.
“The hope I have in sharing my story is that others will be brave enough to share theirs,” said Victoria Vatter. And, as the evidence builds in proportion to the skepticism, a flightless bird lost 400 years ago may be walking the streets of Sparta popping its head on AP test days, waiting for people to take notice.
New Jersey.................
Must be Amish. All they carry are guns and bombs.
I am thinking they are growing a pretty good mushroom in AP class.
Or good chemicals in Chemistry class............................
Ah, so the birds the Dutch were raising on the Bronks Farm in New Amsterdam hightailed it to the swamps of New Jersey when the Brits took over, and only now, somebody notices?
...Then who can blame a bunch of kids in New Jersey for trying to bring back the Mauritian dodo bird by wishing it up. Maybe we can issue magic wands to children so they can fix all our problems.
They hide pretty good, don’t they?...........................
i know i ain’t the first, but... BALONEY!
Just imagine if some of those Dutch sailors had brought back a mating pair or flock of dodos instead of eating them all, we could all be eating dodo for Thanksgiving instead of turkey! When it was alive it stood 3 feet tall!...................
It’s probably somebody caught a goose or other large bird, clipped its wings so it couldn’t fly and applied some Hollywood makeup to it then let it loose.....................
And being a giant flightless squab they would probably be more jucier than turkey.
Oh great, more undocumented immigrants who will be voting for democrats!!!!
Yes, I know the Bible says Adam named all the animals and the fowls of the air. Maybe a flightless bird didn't count as one of the fowls of the air. Or maybe Mark Twain was taking liberties.
Good thinking- I was trying to imagine what they could possibly have seen that would remotely resemble a dodo knowing that Dick Durbin isn’t from NJ, but didn’t think of a dooed up goose.
A great big domestic goose like the Chinese goose with the funny bill would probably fool some city kids.
Google Tula geese- Russian fighting goose... now THAT is a weird looking goose.
I could see where they might mistake that for a dodo................
Almost as good as elephants in cherry or apple trees.
...we could all be eating dodo for Thanksgiving instead of turkey! When it was alive it stood 3 feet tall!...................
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We’d all need bigger ovens and deep fryers!
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