Hi Chris,

Great to see you online again!  The gas idea was only a passing thought =
on my part.  I know that volcano activity and sometimes oil drilling =
releases pockets of hydrogen sulfide, but I don=E2=80=99t remember of a =
spontaneous release.  And, like we say, it is heavier than air. =20

These Red-wing Blackbirds fly and roost by the thousands in tight =
formations.  They sometime look like clouds of undulating and changing =
smoke when flying in the distance. =20

I saw an TV interview with a Arkansas Game and Wildlife representative =
yesterday who said that they were looking into the fireworks possibility =
and the birds becoming frightened.  As you may know, here in the U.S. it =
is a custom sometimes to shoot off fireworks in celebration of the New =
Year.  However, this was a small rural area and I don=E2=80=99t know how =
much of a fireworks display they may have had.  That is questionable in =
my mind.

I know that in Dallas, Texas there is a park downtown that is a frequent =
roosting spot for similar type birds.  They reappeared each year causing =
a lot of noise and mess from their droppings, creating a big health =
hazard.   The city tried using fireworks to frighten them away and =
didn=E2=80=99t work.

However, fireworks were the leading theory, as of last night.

Being a meteorology =E2=80=9Cnerd=E2=80=9D, I also know that tornadoes =
have cause similar events in the past, even sucking fish from lakes.  =
There WAS a tornado event in Cincinnati, AR that same night.  It was =
probably more than a hundred miles West of the bird event though.  The =
line of storms did move NE and would have probably passed over that area =
later.  I do not know the exact timeline for each occurrence.  As you =
suggest, lightening or hail is a possibility too.  I=E2=80=99ve heard =
not mention of that occurring at the time, but is another theory.

I suspect it will be one of those =E2=80=9Cstrange events of =
nature=E2=80=9D which we never know for sure and have only theories.  I =
think that I will drop the subject for fear of confirming that I may be =
a =E2=80=9Cbird-brain.=E2=80=9D =20

Best Wishes for the New Year,




 


 
Hi=20
Chris,
 
Great =
to see you=20
online again!  The gas idea was only a passing thought on my =
part.  I=20
know that volcano activity and sometimes oil drilling releases pockets =
of=20
hydrogen sulfide, but I don=E2=80=99t remember of a spontaneous =
release.  And, like=20
we say, it is heavier than air.  
 
These =
Red-wing=20
Blackbirds fly and roost by the thousands in tight formations.  =
They=20
sometime look like clouds of undulating and changing smoke when flying =
in the=20
distance.  
 
I saw =
an TV interview=20
with a Arkansas Game and Wildlife representative yesterday who =
said=20
that they were looking into the fireworks possibility and the birds =
becoming=20
frightened.  As you may know, here in the U.S. it is a custom =
sometimes to=20
shoot off fireworks in celebration of the New Year.  However, this =
was a=20
small rural area and I don=E2=80=99t know how much of a fireworks =
display they may have=20
had.  That is questionable in my mind.
 
I know =
that in=20
Dallas, Texas there is a park downtown that is a frequent roosting spot =
for=20
similar type birds.  They reappeared each year causing a lot of =
noise and=20
mess from their droppings, creating a big health hazard.   The =
city=20
tried using fireworks to frighten them away and didn=E2=80=99t =
work.
 
However, fireworks=20
were the leading theory, as of last night.
 
Being a =
meteorology=20
=E2=80=9Cnerd=E2=80=9D, I also know that tornadoes have cause similar =
events in the past, even=20
sucking fish from lakes.  There WAS a tornado event in Cincinnati, =
AR that=20
same night.  It was probably more than a hundred miles West of the =
bird=20
event though.  The line of storms did move NE and would have =
probably=20
passed over that area later.  I do not know the exact timeline for =
each=20
occurrence.  As you suggest, lightening or hail is a possibility =
too. =20
I=E2=80=99ve heard not mention of that occurring at the time, but is =
another=20
theory.
 
I =
suspect it will be=20
one of those =E2=80=9Cstrange events of nature=E2=80=9D which we never =
know for sure and have=20
only theories.  I think that I will drop the subject for fear of =
confirming=20
that I may be a =E2=80=9Cbird-brain.=E2=80=9D  
 
Best =
Wishes for the=20
New Year,
Jerry