Bigbird...there was thread recently in the "Ruffled Feathers" section about "Stickbirds"...birders mistaking sticks, branches, plastic bags, all kinds of stuff for birds (usually rare ones!) I once spent a long time watching a dried-out lump of cow-dung, through a telescope, convinced it was a Dowitcher or something. At least your friend´s photo is a bird of sorts!!!