More Than 1,000 Dead Birds Fall From Arkansas Sky

[essies]

Dead blackbirds fall again in Arkansas town


Posted: Dec 31, 2011 11:30 PM EST
Updated: Jan 01, 2012 12:36 AM EST

BEEBE, Ark. (AP) - Blackbirds have fallen dead from the sky in a central Arkansas town for the second New Year's Eve in a row.

Police in Beebe say dozens of birds have fallen dead, prompting officers to ban residents from shooting fireworks Saturday night.

Officer John Weeks said the first reports of "birds on the streets" came around 7 p.m. Police are working with animal control workers and others to determine a count. It wasn't immediately clear if year-end celebrations are again to blame.
http://www.katv.com/story/16424594/dead-blackbirds-fall-again-in-arkansas-town

 

[wfgodot]

Blackbirds have fallen dead from the sky in a central Arkansas town for the second New Year's Eve in a row.

KATV showed a radar image that it said showed a large mass over the town of Beebe a few hours before midnight Saturday.
---

Were fireworks to blame? Hundreds of blackbirds fall to their death in Arkansas town for second New Year's Eve in a row (Daily Mail)

 

[hockeymom]

Weird!!!

 

[Angelonline]

Sooo I really dont think this is still caused by the BP oil spill.. My thoughts are either Govt conspiracy- such as testing in the area that is unknown to the locals or its the Apocalypse.

 

[Dewey2Me1MoThyme]

Such a senseless neglect of nature, ... and for what? To see pretty lights in the sky and make as much noise as we can disturbing the air with explosions so we can oooh and awe at the expense of wildlife.
Maybe if the deer, moose, wildcats and mountain goats started raining down on us we'd quit this stupidity. JMVHO!

 

[wfgodot]

New Sunday Mail article:

First sign of an apocalyptic year to come? Thousands of blackbirds
fall to their death in Arkansas town for second New Year's Eve in a row

---
Initially, last year's deaths were blamed on celebratory fireworks, with people thinking that the birds were startled to death.

A flash hail storm or massive lightning strikes were all discussed as possibilities as well.

All three theories have been debunked, however, as the weather was calm in Arkansas last night and police even imposed an impromptu firework ban in an effort to prevent it from happening again.
---

more, with pictures and a video, at link above

 

[Dewey2Me1MoThyme]

Sudden disturbances in air pressure and loud noises such as an explosion throws off a bird's equalibriam. This causes the birds not only to be startled, but disoriented and off balance. We've seen the effects of sound waves on whales and the like. MOO.

 

[wfgodot]

[video=youtube;UzuvbgKpzQE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzuvbgKpzQE[/video]

 

[Wise Old Owl]

Oh my - guess we can say it wasn't fireworks - like they tried to say last year.

Bizarre

 

[Quiche]

Okay... two years in a row, to the very day? Seems like there's a man made element in there somewhere. :waitasec:

Poor things.

 

[wfgodot]

I'm still thinking it was fireworks. Fireworks or Mayan prophecy, one of the two.

 

[Quiche]

I'm still thinking it was fireworks. Fireworks or Mayan prophecy, one of the two.

But, seems to me if it were fireworks we'd be very familiar with the phenomenon-- I mean, we've been using fireworks for a lonnnnnng time and birds just haven't been dropping from the sky. I think it's something else unique to that region. I'm not familiar with the area so I couldn't hazard a guess. But, are there factories in the area that do something at the end of the year that's different than the rest of the year?

 

[wfgodot]

But, seems to me if it were fireworks we'd be very familiar with the phenomenon-- I mean, we've been using fireworks for a lonnnnnng time and birds just haven't been dropping from the sky. I think it's something else unique to that region. I'm not familiar with the area so I couldn't hazard a guess. But, are there factories in the area that do something at the end of the year that's different than the rest of the year?

Not familiar either though I've been down that way (when I was, like, six), but perhaps the acoustic quality of the birds' nesting areas might affect their reaction? I like the factories idea.

 

[Wise Old Owl]

Factories. Maybe. But don't most factories shut down for the holidays? IDK

Why there? Why two years in a row TO THE HOUR? Its just so bizarre.

Maybe environmental - like certain trees or plants that might be emitting some kind of pollen - at the end of their growing season? IDK - to have that many - 5,000?

Bizarre - that's the only word I can come up with.

 

[tarabull]

But, seems to me if it were fireworks we'd be very familiar with the phenomenon-- I mean, we've been using fireworks for a lonnnnnng time and birds just haven't been dropping from the sky. I think it's something else unique to that region. I'm not familiar with the area so I couldn't hazard a guess. But, are there factories in the area that do something at the end of the year that's different than the rest of the year?

bbm - is exactly what I keep coming back to...thank you for saying it I've been trying not to...

:worms:

There's something to be said - or maybe is it being said - by groups of other living beings collectively commiting mass suicide.

The question I keep asking myself is which is the group of dumber animals?

:waitasec:

 

[HMSHood]

Deja vu!

 

[Emma Peel]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/01/us/arkansas-bird-deaths/index.html

Someone went into a large roost of blackbirds in Beebe, Arkansas, as the clock struck midnight Saturday and set off fireworks, contributing to the deaths of scores of blackbirds, a state wildlife spokeswoman said.

Last New Year's Eve, roughly 5,000 birds were found dead in a square-mile area in Beebe, a central Arkansas town about 35 miles northeast of Little Rock through which birds migrate and that is home to a large roost for the birds.

But questions remain about the intention of the person or persons who set off fireworks that killed about 200 blackbirds this weekend.

Body count less; they believe someone went to the blackbird roost and shot off fireworks; they're thinking it was intentional.

I guess I'm not seeing much but NY Eve's mischief in that. :dunno: Call me a conspiracy theory party pooper.

Biologists said last year's kill was caused by birds who were spooked off their roosts by the loud explosions and began flying into homes, cars, telephone poles and each other.

Around this same time last year, thousands of dead fish also turned up in the Arkansas River, prompting conspiracies about the end of the world, poison and environmental catastrophe.

Taylor and Duke both agree, though: it's probably just the fireworks in Beebe.

Local authorities don't seem to subscribe to conspiracy theories either. The fact that these events took place on fireworks nights, same day, same season, different years sort of confirms the explanation, IMO.

We'll have to see if it's also followed by a fish-kill this year. :waitasec:





Poor birds. The photos seem to be of Red winged-black birds.

 

[tarabull]

snipped...

This New Year’s, dozens of birds were found dead again and officials believe that fireworks may be the reason too. It was around 7 p.m. when reports of dead birds were found littering the streets of an Arkansas town —It was around the same time residents were celebrating the new year with fireworks and according to the Associated Press, after the blackbirds were found dead, officers banned firework usage Saturday night.

http://www.longislandpress.com/2012/01/01/dead-birds-blackbirds-found-dead-in-arkansas-again/

_____________________________________

snipped...

'I thought the Mayor was messing with me when he called me,' said Milton McCullar, the street department supervisor in Beebe, Arkansas.

'He got me up at 4:00 in the morning and told me we had birds falling out of he sky.' Mr McCullar told ABC News.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-die-2nd-New-Years-Eve-row.html#ixzz1iGX79Dk3

 

[badhorsie]

20 tons of fish wash up on Norwegian beach

 

[badhorsie]

Wait, what? From the above article
Last month 25 dead horses were discovered at the bottom of a cliff near Glenn Innes, New England.

I didn't know that! End times my friends, end times