BREAKING: Hundreds more dead birds reported in Texas

The Examiner ^ | January 6, 2011 | Howard Portnoy

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

A TV station in the East Texas town of Tyler reports that hundreds more dead birds have been discovered along the sides of a highway bridge. This news adds fresh fuel to a growing conundrum over the cause of hundreds of thousands of avian deaths in localities thousands of miles apart.

The station, KLTV, acknowledges that around 200 birds were found dead this morning on state highway 155. The birds, identified as American coots or mud-hens, are the first of this species to be cited in the recent spate of deaths. As with previous cases, the cause of death is not immediately apparent.

The Army Corps of Engineers office at Lake O' the Pines, the community where the birds were found, suggests that the birds may have been struck and killed by motor vehicles as the birds walked, roosted, or flew on and around the bridge. A spokesperson from that office claims to have witnessed similar phenomena on roadways and bridges in other parts of Texas and insists the incident is likely unrelated to the Arkansas situation.

Charlie Muller, a biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Administration, notes that bird deaths, while not uncommon, seldom occur in numbers this large. As to the likely cause of death, Muller speculates:

The birds could have been spooked by a boat coming through that area, [or by] a bird of prey such as a bald eagle.

These explanations, while reasonable, would do more to quell rampant concerns over the deaths if the occurrences were isolated. However, they are not. Texas now becomes the fourth state—after Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kentucky—to experience mass bird deaths, which have now also been reported on another continent, Europe.

[irishtenor]

Hot off the presses...

Tyson’s report MILLIONS of dead chickens!

[21twelve]

That is a nice and spooky map. HOWEVER - I wonder what it might have looked like posting similar stories from a year ago? Sort of when a bunch of earthquakes somehow make the news, and then some poster puts up a site showing a map with hundreds of earthquakes from around the world that week. (With those hundreds being typical, but if you didn’t know it you would think “OMG - look at all of those!”.)

Same goes for shark attacks too it seems. But, they sure are in the news with no good explanations (150 coot dead because an eagle scared them!!!???).

[EQAndyBuzz]

“Okay, this is getting weird”

I bet this has something to do with those contrails seen off the California coast.

[RC one]

I think that was last year actually.

[presently no screen name]

From the mega oil spill.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Who put that data together? I’ve heard about incidents in AR, LA, an KY but nothing else. What date ranges were included?

[ProudFossil]

Yes. It is officially NOT fireworks, earthquakes, thunderstorms, Dick Cheney,or BP. This is worldwide.

Then it officially has to be BUSH'S FAULT!!!

[Ingtar]

They reported some in Sweden that I saw yesterday.

[Red_Devil 232]

" hundreds of thousands "

Where did they come up with estimated number?

Thousands - yep - but Hunderds of thousands?

[StopObama2012]

STEP 1: Rent a prop plane, fly past a flock of birds, and spray/dump poison in their path. They fly thru it. They die. They fall to the ground.

STEP 2: Libs scream “Global warming (or factory pollution) is killing the birds!”

STEP 3: Shut down the factories and cap their “carbon” emmissions (even though CO2 is plant food, and the human body is 18% carbon). Establish a new category of taxation called “carbon taxes.” Parlay them into a trillion-dollar trading industry.

IN OTHER WORDS, Does anybody notice the timing here? EPA seizes control of Texas emissions JAN 2. Then, on JAN 5, flocks of birds in separate locations suddenly start dropping from the sky, DEAD.

Reminds me of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND. Remember, all the animals are “dead,” laying by the side of the road, b/c there’s “poison gas” in the area?

Then Richard Dreyfuss yanks off his gas mask and starts telling the military guys: “THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIR. THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIR.”

To drive out the population, clearing them from the UFO landing area, the government faked the poison gas, and used knockout gas to render the local cows and birds unconscious.

[deport]

I think occam's razor may apply in this situation.

..

UPDATE: Dead birds on bridge is a natural occurrence

According to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Media Communication Director, Tom Harvey, it is not uncommon to see dozens of dead birds on this bridge, including the American Coots here.

The Corps of Engineers office at Lake O' the Pines says they are not exactly sure why this happens, but it appears likely the birds are walking or roosting or flying on and around the bridge and many of them probably get hit and killed by motor vehicles.

The American Coots, which roost under the bridge, are prey for eagles and spook easily. When spooked they fly out from under the bridge in large masses, which explains why such a large number birds could be hit at one time.

Greg Conley, a TPWD staffer, said he has seen a similar situation involving multiple dead birds on bridges and roadways around Lake Fork. So, this appears to be a normal occurrence, not related to the Arkansas "birds falling from the sky" story.

end snip

[bareford101]

I would love to see hundreds of dead cackles in my back yard!

[kailbo]

I’m beginning to worry myself...

[liberateUS]

This is just the same as the shark attack frenzy a few years ago. I’m sure it happens all the time, but it doesn’t make national news.

[Safrguns]

yeah... you have to ask yourself...

If this IS a biological attack in the making, would they tell us?

Someone besides our trusted government better start taking a look at this.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Yeah, I’d say that in this case too. But I’m curious about the other events.

[cripplecreek]

This is just the same as the shark attack frenzy a few years ago. I’m sure it happens all the time, but it doesn’t make national news.

It does. When west nile virus came through here a few years ago blue jays were hit especially hard. I found at least a dozen of them on my half acre within about a week. Now their numbers are rebounding.

And living on a lake I see fish kills occasionally as well.

[cripplecreek]

Smithsonian bird curator says its no big deal.

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/aroundthemall/2011/01/smithsonian-bird-curator-die-off-is-not-such-a-big-deal/

[existtoexcel]

Disinformation and exaggeration mixed with lies, govt. and media have made the truth unrecognizable while hollywood distracts the masses. Good luck to anyone expecting a reasonably accurate explanation.

[23 Everest]

I see a good opportunity here. Remember, never let a good crisis go by without exploiting it. The ballerina sez so/s