100,000 Birds Exhibit Strange Behavior In East Tennessee, United States

Today was not an especially busy day for me. I went through my usual morning routine and then headed into my office to 'make-believe' I was actually working. The weather was very mild, in the 30's and low to mid 40's by mid-afternoon.

Normally I would never have a window open in this type of weather, but I recently bought a 3-D television for my house, so I moved the old 55" LCD into my office. It is an older model, one that has heat pouring off it like molten lava after being powered on for 15-20 minutes. Since my office isn't huge, I will open a window to combat the hellish experience provided by this television.

I opened the window for this exact reason today and everything seemed just as normal as any other chilly day in East Tennessee....

...I authored a thread titled, 'Birds!!!' a few months ago, it was about the strange behavior of a large number of birds. They were grouped in a small area and were chirping very loud. Suddenly, every single bird went silent for no apparent reason. Some suggested a predator, but I do not believe that was the case - based on observing them and the area.

The birds continued this strange behavior several more times through the course of the day. I really didn't know what to think about it, since I have lived here my entire life and never experienced anything close to this.

Aside from the suggestions of a predator in the area, there was never a plausible explanation for the odd event.

A couple weeks passed before something else happened that I have never seen or heard of in this area before and... it happened, literally, in my backyard...

I authored another thread about this event, titled, 'Big Strange & Odd Bird Behavior Noted Prior to a Large Die-Off in My Backyard! Seymour, TN!'

There was a large and mysterious bird die-off involving thousands of birds from a variety of breeds(?). These birds were laying in the street, in my front yard, backyard, neighbor's yard, etc and extended for a couple miles down the road. Like other bird die-off reports, there was no immediate explanation. The birds did exhibit signs of blunt force trauma, but it's speculated that could be the result of their crash landing.

There were reports of a strange 'Sky-Sound' phenomena heard at around this same time period. I have heard this strange noise for the past couple years, but have been unable to identify it's source. The noise has also been reported by local news media and in interviews with concerned citizens. There is no evident precursor to warn when the sound will begin. It just seems to happen in the very early morning hours, lasting from between 1 hour - 7 hours.

Here is a thread I opened on January 10th, 2012, when I was hearing the strange noise, 'Incredibly Strange Phenomena in Knoxville, Tennessee Right now (tues, 10-1-12 4a)'

Another strange fact is that, after the strange sky noise, the strange bird activity, and the bird die-off we experienced earthquakes much larger than we usually ever have. We do have common small quakes, but, for this area, the quakes were quite notable in size.

I do not know if there is a correlation between the strange noise phenomena and the strange activity of the birds, the subsequent bird die-off, or the uncommon Earthquakes, but I feel it is worth mentioning....

... Back in my office, watching TV at around 2p, a noise grabbed my attention. I muted the TV and listened closer, when I realized the loud noise was coming from the trees. I stepped outside to listen even closer and found that I was surrounded on all sides by a massive number of birds singing non-stop. It was astonishing and so loud that I could not hear a commercial sawmill operating just 35ft away.

It was odd, not just because of the sheer number and intensity, but also because it was very hard to see even 1 bird anywhere. There were none flying around (Thankfully... I'd be the one they aim for), on the ground, or the power lines.

I called for one of the guys running the mill to shut it off and come have a listen. The very moment he shut down the mill, it was like a giant black shadow exploded from the trees. It must have been every single bird I have ever seen in my life taking flight at once.

Thinking of how to describe to you, I am reminded of a scene from (I think) the Mummy or The Mummy Returns, where the pyramid is swallowed by millions and millions of scorpions. Another comparison could made to the scene from the Gerard Butler film, '300', where the Persians reign down so many arrows that it darkens the sky.

These descriptions do not embellish what we saw by very much.

I am sure many of you have seen the videos where giant flocks of birds move in formation with incredible precision. This is how the birds were behaving. They seemed to be circling my shop, but that was an illusion, brought on by the sheer number of birds in the sky. The whole area's sky was blanketed with thousands, probably well over 100,000 birds.

They remained aloft for the next 20-30 minutes, maybe more, but I had to step away to get the guys back to work. I watched from my office for the rest of the afternoon and saw them thin out quite a bit from the initial sighting. While there were still many in the sky, there were also many in the trees chirping quite a bit.

It continued into the early evening and was still going on when I headed home. I don't live far away, but the activity was nowhere near the level of the shop's sky and surrounding trees. Even now I can hear them a bit, but I would consider this 'normal' activity, though not usually at this hour of the day.

I know some of you will ask for pictures and I did take a couple, though you can not see anything on them, unfortunately. There were also a few light clouds in the sky and they did not show up on the images either.

I thought I heard the creepy 'sky-noise' phenomena again, a couple weeks ago. I can not say it is what I heard with certainty, because it didn't occur at the usual time, the usual intensity, or the usual duration.

I wonder if this could be a precursor to something else about to happen in the area... I hope not, but if it is, maybe we can pick up on a pattern.

I am also posting this now incase there is something that has yet to happen, but can be linked to this strange experience.

One more note: I talked to my Dad about it and he thought it was a massive Starling population, even though the timing seems to be off for them...

For those of you who would like the exact location, I will give you the general area in East Tennessee. It is between KnoxVegas (Knoxville) and Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Star and Flag for you , this is VERY important IMHO and I'm glad you posted.

I think all things you mentioned are indeed related and I hope it's nothing too bad like a large EQ.
I also think it's people like you who keep a straight head while observing and relaying it to this community that make it easier to comprehend and to take in.

Thanks again for the post and keep us abreast of the situation as I'm sure you will

Did it look kind of like this?

Maybe they were migrating south and had to stop for a rest..that does happen with birds...as for the large die off, that is not good. That would be something poisonous in the air .

reply to post by Cherry0


Yes, it was similar to that, very similar... now X's that by about 5-6 and you will get a better understanding of the immense spread of this giant flock. Not sure if I will ever see anything like this again, since I have never seen it before.

The last thing that I recall impressing me this much was a massive population of locusts, back in the 80's. I was just a kid then, but I recall them being everywhere, on every tree, on the ground, and blanketing the skies... incredible!



reply to post by Meldionne1


I suppose it is a possible migration pattern... just seems kinda late for that, since winter is half over. Then again, I am no migration pattern expert either!

reply to post by esteay812


Interesting. I wouldn't know why this would occur since I am no bird expert, but it is strange indeed. I am more concerned about the die-offs personally.

Also, were the birds you saw starlings or some other species? I apologize ahead of time if you already mentioned it in the OP.

reply to post by Cherry0


I am not certain if they were starlings. I am having a hard time thinking of what other birds flock in such large numbers.

I have the impression that there were several species, because I saw some cardinals, blue jays, and black birds as I scanned the trees in attempt to identify the general source of the noise.

I don't know whether they joined the flock or not, but it is probably unlikely multiple species would flock together. I am not certain of this, just a hunch.... birds of a feather, etc

Originally posted by esteay812
reply to post by Cherry0

 

I am not certain if they were starlings. I am having a hard time thinking of what other birds flock in such large numbers.

I have the impression that there were several species, because I saw some cardinals, blue jays, and black birds as I scanned the trees in attempt to identify the general source of the noise.

I don't know whether they joined the flock or not, but it is probably unlikely multiple species would flock together. I am not certain of this, just a hunch.... birds of a feather, etc

Edit: Oops sorry. Just scanned the OP again and noticed you did mention it was a variety. So you can ignore this question.

So, I found this article about mass die-off for both birds and fish: Birds Dying

I know it doesn't answer the question about the strange activity. It has some interesting points but raises a lot of questions for me still. It's quite a mystery! At least for now.

Just reading your thread after reading about the strange occurrence in Kentucky.

I am wondering if they might be related?

Something in Kentucky like a quake, not confirmed to be a quake?

Most, if not all, of the mass bird die offs are a result of the USDA's program to poison them. It is called "Bye Bye Blackbird", was disclosed on their website, and at one point they even had an estimated count of birds they have poisoned. The program is meant to reduce or eliminate the population of "pest" birds that are a (minor) threat to American crops, especially corn and wheat.

Regarding the "strange behavior", I'm not really sure that its that strange. Large flocks of birds are not that unusual, and there are a number of things that could attract them to a building or specific area, like a food source or a heat source.

Take a look at the trees in your area; are they fruit bearing trees? And I don't mean apples or oranges; I mean berry type fruits. This time of winter, food can sometimes be hard to come by for many animals, and food sources will often attract large numbers.

Originally posted by StrangeOldBrew
Most, if not all, of the mass bird die offs are a result of the USDA's program to poison them. It is called "Bye Bye Blackbird", was disclosed on their website, and at one point they even had an estimated count of birds they have poisoned. The program is meant to reduce or eliminate the population of "pest" birds that are a (minor) threat to American crops, especially corn and wheat.

Regarding the "strange behavior", I'm not really sure that its that strange. Large flocks of birds are not that unusual, and there are a number of things that could attract them to a building or specific area, like a food source or a heat source.

Take a look at the trees in your area; are they fruit bearing trees? And I don't mean apples or oranges; I mean berry type fruits. This time of winter, food can sometimes be hard to come by for many animals, and food sources will often attract large numbers.

Where's your link, please? You claim this was on their website, can you provide a link? If this is no secret, then why do they come up with so many excuses about the die-offs rather than just tell us they poisoned them?

where i live grackles behave that way. they will all gather in a few trees and they are LOUD. then they all fly off. if your weather is unseasonable that could explain the behavior. i can tell you where i am it's WEIRD. it's 80 degrees when this is normally our coldest month. the flowers are blooming and the birds don't know what to think.

reply to post by Cherry0


Thanks for linking that information. Believe it or not, I actually remember reading that article when animal die-offs were being talked about a lot on ATS.

There is something that happened after seeing the incredibly odd behavior and flocking patterns. It is something that hasn't happened on this scale since 1994, a year after the 'Blizzard of '93'.

I woke up this morning and strolled outside to get the newspaper. Walking off my front porch, I took a step onto the sidewalk that leads to the mailbox.

Immediately after transferring my weight to the foot on the sidewalk, my legs shot out from under me and rocketed toward the sky. All I could see, as I was in free-fall towards the ground, was my two feet pointing toward the Moon.

I didn't notice anything strange before stepping foot out the door. It was a cold morning, in the 20 degrees F neighborhood, but nothing alerted me to anything other than a cold morning.

As soon has my back hit the ground, I realized I had just been a victim of 'Black Ice'... For those of you who are unaware of what 'Black Ice' is, have a look at this description.

It is defined as:

Black Ice

1.thin ice on roads: a thin, almost invisible, layer of ice formed when rain falls on a surface that is below freezing

The difference between the definition of 'black ice' and the 'black ice' here today is that it is not a thin layer. In fact, it is quite thick. No matter, really, since the appearance of the ice sheet is completely transparent.

It is quite hard to see it, because it gives the roadways, sidewalks, etc., an appearance of only being wet.

Once I realized what it was, I could see it everywhere I looked. The trees, roads, shrubs, cars, grass, and power lines were completely encased in this layer of ice.

It was actually quite good looking, because it gave everything the appearance of being made of solid crystal.

The birds didn't seem to mind it so much. I noticed very large group of birds huddled together in the backyard, where they covered roughly 2.2 acres.


reply to post by timetothink


Hmm... I wouldn't be suprised if they are related in some way. The topography isn't extremely different and the physical location is not very distant between the two areas.

It is very wierd and I'd like to know the truth behind these events. I am convinced this is not something that occurs periodically - unless the last time it occured was before modern history record keeping began.

I'll continue keeping a look out for anything event that is out of the ordinary and located within about a 5-10mile radius of my home and shop.



reply to post by StrangeOldBrew


I do understand you feel as if it may not be that strange, however I will not be able to agree with you on this point.

Having lived in the same community for 34 years and never witnessing or discovering past reports of anything similar to these events, I can pretty much conclude with a great deal of certainty that these things are anything but normal.

It may be typical behavior for the region where you live, but I can not imagine that is so, based on the previous events of this area and the sheer number of birds active in the flock.

Coupling the massive number of birds with a possible link to the strange, 'Sky-Noise' phenomena being heard by many residents is very suspect in itself.

When I factor in the other rare natural events, such as the stronger than normal Earthquakes that take place within hours of the strange sounds and/or the odd bird behavior, I am left feeling convinced that these things are not normal for this region now - or anytime in this area's recent past.

Can you hook us up with a link to your source, please?


reply to post by Rezlooper


I agree, I'd also like to check out the link. Never can tell, it could possibly lead to the answers I'm looking for...

reply to post by pasiphae


The weather here is ridiculously uncharacteristic. Weeks ago it was so warm that I wore shorts for a couple days. Then, like flipping a switch, we had 4"+ of snowfall.

The past week has been fairly clear & the temps weren't very cold. Then the strange behavior starts and now we have a thick sheet of ice blanketing everything outside.

Originally posted by Rezlooper

Originally posted by StrangeOldBrew
Most, if not all, of the mass bird die offs are a result of the USDA's program to poison them. It is called "Bye Bye Blackbird", was disclosed on their website, and at one point they even had an estimated count of birds they have poisoned. The program is meant to reduce or eliminate the population of "pest" birds that are a (minor) threat to American crops, especially corn and wheat.

Regarding the "strange behavior", I'm not really sure that its that strange. Large flocks of birds are not that unusual, and there are a number of things that could attract them to a building or specific area, like a food source or a heat source.

Take a look at the trees in your area; are they fruit bearing trees? And I don't mean apples or oranges; I mean berry type fruits. This time of winter, food can sometimes be hard to come by for many animals, and food sources will often attract large numbers.

planetsave.com...

Where's your link, please? You claim this was on their website, can you provide a link? If this is no secret, then why do they come up with so many excuses about the die-offs rather than just tell us they poisoned them?

We got tens of thousands of views last year on a few posts about mass bird deaths (mostly in Arkansas) and what possibly caused the deaths of these birds. There were many possible explanations. I read countless articles on the matter, and many more comments. While many ideas were put forward, none were definitive.

If only someone had asked the USDA….

Apparently, under the radar (so to speak), the information as to what was killing the birds was available for anyone to see. The birds were killed by the USDA. Here’s a screenshot of a USDA page documenting the agency’s work, showing

Crazy Imo but true, the number of birds being intentionally killed off is in the millions, check out the numbers and not just birds but all sorts of other 'invasive species', I'm starting to wonder just how much of an inpact Agenda 21 is having. I'm wondering too if they keep killing off so many birds what is going to happen to the insect populations, hmmmmm, guess we have GMO's and plenty of chemicals for that..

planetsave.com...

tv.naturalnews.com...
www.examiner.com...
www.aphis.usda.gov...

sadly just a few links for those who are asking

reply to post by Tecumte


So is it a mystery after all,..hmmmm

Why does the USDA kill these birds and other animals?
Take a guess!

Well, you know what USDA stands for, right? U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is killing off millions, or even hundreds of millions of animals to keep them away from farmers’ crops or the food their animals eat.

More from Earth-issues:

“A Nebraska farmer was apparently complaining that the starlings were defecating in his feed meal. The answer to this conundrum apparently isn’t to cover your feed meal but rather call the USDA and ask them to poison thousands of birds.

“The USDA complied, apparently agreeing this was a brilliant idea. So they put out a poison called DRC-1339 and allowed thousands of birds to feed on that poison.”


Read more at planetsave.com...
Planetsave (s.tt...)

Originally posted by Cherry0
So, I found this article about mass die-off for both birds and fish: Birds Dying

I know it doesn't answer the question about the strange activity. It has some interesting points but raises a lot of questions for me still. It's quite a mystery! At least for now.

Can't say this type of animal eradication is responsible for all of the deaths, but WOW I had no idea this was going on on what looks to be a wide scale. I know they target certain species of fish and that explains alot of the fish kill, I jad no idea they went after so many birds though....and beavers??? 27,000 (if I read the *current* listed number right).But this is below from 1998.

Avicide Being Used in ND for Control of Blackbirds
September 1998

USDA's Wildlife Services had begun a project to bait blackbirds in 20 North Dakota counties using the avicide "DRC 1339." The necessary environmental assessment documentation was completed on August 27, thus allowing the agency to begin the baiting work under a special Section 24 state label.

Nine counties in South Dakota also have been selected for baiting. However, a Section 18 label is required for South Dakota before work can begin, and EPA had not issued a ruling as of the date this issue of The Sunflower went to press.

Baiting can be carried out only by trained Wildlife Service personnel. The process consists of knocking down a site (one-fourth to one-half acre) within a sunflower field. The bait - placed on rice kernels - is spread on the ground via an ATV-mounted applicator. A blackbird that consumes one seed will die in about 28 hours.

www.sunflowernsa.com...

maybe it's the tv!!!

interesting you mentioned the quake(s). any fracking in your area?