Strange Silver Birch

Didn't venture far today as the weather has reverted to wet and overcast yet again. Dodging the showers I took a walk in a nearby copse and found the weirdest of Silver Birch trees that has suffered a growth of some sort. For the life of me I can't get ET out of my mind....is it just me or can you see that or something else?

I googled this and found:

Burl or burr lump growth on silver birch tree most likely caused by outgrowth of small knots from dormant buds as a result of stress and viral damage.