Great Horned Owl Explanation.
documentedclose_encounterLandmark High-Strangeness Cases
Skeptical thesis (Joe Nickell, CSI 2006; Brian Dunning; Renaud Leclet) that the 'goblins' were aggressive great horned owls and the streaking light a meteor.
The owl account maps each reported feature to a documented natural source: great horned owls are nocturnal, silent-flying, yellow-eyed, territorial, ~2 ft tall, with arm-like wings and moonlight-reflecting bodies; the 'streak' matches a meteor reported that day; the unexplained green glow fits foxfire fungus. It is the most widely accepted explanation, though not universally satisfying on every detail.