Discovery Of Dead Birds Shuts Down Congress Avenue(Austin, TX)

[RamboLiberal]

http://keyetv.com/topstories/local_story_008080531.html

Austin police have shut down Congress Ave. from Cesar Chavez St. to 11th St. after finding between 40 and 60 dead birds around 3 a.m. along Congress Ave. between 6th and 8th Streets.

Experts tested the air for any sort of environmental contaminant or gas or chlorine leaks that might have killed off the birds, police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz said, but no traces were found. The birds will now have to be examined by experts to determine what killed them. Bird species included grackles, pigeons and sparrows.

There were no reports of any humans harmed, but a 10-block stretch of Congress Ave., several side streets and all buildings in the area were blocked off and expected to remain off-limits until about noon, Chovanetz said.

People that work in that area have been advised not to come in until further notice.

There was no immediate word on whether the Capitol would be affected Monday, the day before the legislative session was to begin.

[goforit]

1. What has Cheney been up to?

[RamboLiberal]

8. He's in my area killing birds

at private Rolling Rock club in Western PA, scene of previous Elmer Fudd Cheney bird massacres.

[They Live]

2. Weird

just beat me to posting this story. My wife just called me from work to tell me about this. I was about to head downtown to this area to get some film developed. I think I'll wait.

[Little Wing]

3. The End is Nigh!

[Ian_rd]

4. So that's why downtown is closed.

I drove by the road block on my out this morning. If those birds have a cedar allergy, I can understand why they dropped dead. I feel like I'm about to.

[They Live]

6. cedar allergy

is that what basically immobilized me for the past several days? I've lived in Austin most of my life but have never been hit so hard with whatever hit me this time. Either that, or it's the begnning of the end. ;)

[AnneD]

5. The Texas Legislature...

is suppose to open today. Maybe a whiff of what Perry and the GOP have in mind had leaked out of the Gov. Mansion.:sarcasm:

[They Live]

7. Health Dept.: No Public Health Threat Despite Large Number Of Dead Birds

Health Dept.: No Public Health Threat Despite Large Number Of Dead Birds

The health department doesn't believe that the dozens of dead birds found in Downtown Austin Monday morning are a threat to public health. But several blocks of Congress Avenue remain closed off to traffic, and if you work in the area, you're being asked to stay home from work until at least noon.

Congress Avenue and one block on either side of the street is shut down from Cesar Chavez to 11th Street until approximately noon. Most of the birds were concentrated around 9th Street.

They still don't know what killed the birds. However, one bird has been sent to a lab in Ames, Iowa, to be tested for avian flu. Another bird is being sent to College Station, Texas, to determine whether it might have been poisoned.

(snip)


http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=5904817


Okee dokee. There's nothing to worry about. Continue shopping, citizens. Be seeing you.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

10. Hmm

"Typically what we see in large bird die-offs is severe weather, actually -- strong winds, hail storms."

Nope, none of the above took place last night. I doubt that a disease is the cause since this is the first and only report of such a die off.

[kestrel91316]

9. Even though testing has not yet been done to determine if it's

the bad avian flu (H5N1), I'm sure they're confidently proclaiming there is no risk to humans.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

11. You're right

We have an odd die off of grackles, pigeons and sparrows in an urban setting but no one should be concerned.

This could be a contagion or something toxic they were exposed to, the truth is they don't know yet. Yet they're willing to tell everyone there's no public health threat before the test from the birds they've sent off come back.

[ShortnFiery]

12. Something is amiss ...

I know it sounds glib, but has anyone reflected as to why the M$M is turning themselves inside out to FRIGHTEN the BEE-JESUS out of the entire American Populace? Perhaps to soften us up for herr Chimperor's speech Wednesday night.

I don't believe anything the M$M claims without proof. :thumbsdown:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

13. The media loves drama

If they can't have real drama they'll manufacture it. Most of the people I've spoken with feel there was some form of toxic emission that caused this event. I think they're more angry than frightened however. Austinites are a different breed of Texan.

[Ian_rd]

20. If we can still go to Antone's at night and Hut's during the day, we can take anything.

[kestrel91316]

14. The thing is, the health authorities and DHS and such go

overboard telling veterinarians to be on the lookout for any unusual disease outbreaks or deaths in animals due to the risk of bioterrorism.

Then when they HAVE unusual deaths, they IMMEDIATELY tell the public that it is ABSOLUTELY NOT terrorism-related, before any tests have even been done.

Such BS.

BTW, I legally have to report to the authorities any cases of coccidiosis I diagnose in kittens (could be Terra, you know) even though this is a very common GI parasite found in large numbers of kittens, especially under stress. So I don't ever actually "diagnose" it. I just put them on the meds for it and call it good. I personally think giving kittens diarrhea is pretty low on the list of priorities for most terrorists. If vets around the country ACTUALLY reported coccidiosis in puppies and kittens every time we saw a case, we could completely shut the government down with the backlog of Terra (TM) to investigate.

[spotbird]

17. Something stinks in NYC and

they're saying the same thing.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2679843

We don't know what it is, but it is nothing.

[unblock]

15. dead birds shut down austin; manhattan keeps chugging through gas leak....

i SO miss austin!

[alcibiades_mystery]

16. It's like the beginning of Camus' "The Plague"

The dead rats start showing up, and nobody thinks much of it. Strange, that.

Then...

[0007]

18. Were any of the birds named Tom Craddick, the Texas House

Speaker that was Tom DeLay's fucking buddy.

[Eurobabe]

19. Jeebus, I picked a great time to fly home to the States!

Can't freaking wait! What's next? Anthrax again?

[pitohui]

21. magic 8 ball tells me

someone has been poisoning the pigeons, etc. w.out a proper license, tsk!

[lumpy]

22. My first thought

nt

[TX-RAT]

24. May not be intentional

Some feeds get a mold on them that can be very toxic. Damp weather just makes it worse.

[notadmblnd]

23. I'm beginning to think this is a prank

nt