Blackbird update. Arkansas blackbirds met with trauma, findings indicate

Preliminary autopsy results as to the reason behind what is now estimated to be 4,000-5,000 blackbirds that mysteriously fell from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas is multiple blunt trauma to their vital organs, a state veterinarian related to NBC Monday. Initially, it was thought that fireworks were to blame but the latest findings seem to rule that out.

Personally, I'm still going with the alien theory in that visitors from another galaxy or universe or wherever, became lost and having no experience speaking with intelligent earth species, assumed the crows were a good source of information.

Thinking further, though (far too much time on my hands), the new theory makes you wonder what the crows could have encountered that could have caused such a wide-spread death.

As if Beebe and the state of Arkansas don't have enough to worry about, officials are also looking into the reason why approximately 100,000 fish turning up dead in the state's northwest. Dead drum fish were found floating in the water lining the banks of a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River near Ozark, 125 miles northwest of Little Rock.

As Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say: it's always something.

Still another way to get injured - 1000 falling dead birds

What a way to start off the New Year. This is the type of story that Alfred Hitchcock would have loved, except that it's not fiction. The next time you're going through the town of Beebe, Arkansas, perhaps it would be a good idea not to look up. Or maybe wear a hard hat.

Seems that in excess of 1,000 - wait for it - black birds suddenly and without any prior warning, dropped out of the night sky. Imagine being out on an evening stroll and suddenly being beaned by a blackbird (say that a dozen times fast).

"Excuse me (insert name of person accompanying you on a walk) blank-blank. I know that it rains cats and dogs on occasion but correct me if I'm wrong, here. It appears to be raining crows."

As expected wildlife people are working on finding some reason for them to do so. Maybe they all spotted the same piece of road kill and miscalculated its mass appeal. I mean, it's as good a reason as any but I digress.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission who is in charge of these things, commented that dead black bird reports started filtering in at 11:30 p.m. over a one mile area. An aerial survey indicated that no other dead birds were found in that area. This makes sense since any birds spotting falling or already dead crows would stay out of the area.

Ornithologist Karen Rowe said the birds showed physical trauma, and she speculated that "the flock could have been hit by lightning or high-altitude hail."

Another theory floating around is that New Year's Eve revelers shooting off fireworks in the area could have startled the birds from their roost and caused them to die from stress.

Wildlife officer, Robby King, collected approximately 65 dead birds that will be sent for testing to the state Livestock and Poultry Commission lab and the National Wildlife Health Center lab in Madison, Wis. In the end and according to Ms Rowe, she believes the tests will be 'inconclusive' and doubted that the birds were poisoned.

There's a very simple explanation. Aliens. The same one's that made those intricate corn field designs. Merely a simple case of flying in the wrong direction. This is a Stephen King novel waiting to be written. Wait a minute - hasn't he written a book about this?

For those so inclined, here is a link showing a photo of one of the deceased:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40874105/ns/us_news-environment/