Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss CSI: Young Blood

YB, are you the lead forensic investigator for the dead drum found in the Arkansas River?

I heard they sent some of the dead fish to Univ. of Arkansas - Pine Bluff.

I know they only give these cherry-assignments to their best staff.

Nah. I have more important stuff to do.

This happened on the upper end of the lake I work on. Back in September I did a rotenone sample with the state near the area of this big dieoff and drum were the most abundant species. This should help out the catfish population.

There are 2 variables here that are raising red flags

First fish, then birds. I don't believe that the officials that are giving theories on why the birds died are listening to what they're saying. Autopsies are showing that they died from blunt force trauma.

Late Monday, the Chief of the Wildlife Management division at the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission which is heading up the probe, suggested fireworks may be to blame.

"They get some kind of loud noise that would spook them . . . and they don't generally fly at nighttime and they start crashing into each other," David Goad told CTV News Channel, explaining that locals describe the birds as flying low at the time.

Goad said the birds likely suffered severe trauma in those mid-air collisions, subsequently forming blood clots that helped kill them.

However, he said it was possible the birds were so scared by the fireworks that they just wore "their muscles out."

Huh????

I heard the birds were sent to Madison, WI.

before or after death?

The train goes from Little Rock to Chicago - why WI.

Looks like there was another bird kill.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/another-large-bird-kill-reported-this-time-in-louisiana

I think we have the makings of a new best seller here, with the star not being Robert Langdon, but instead Chris Steelman.

We may have to come up with a stage name for Chris.

Rock Birdsong?
Mitch Crowbar?
Ezekiel Proudfoot?
Red Preston?

Red Blackbird

Buck Naked!

Latest info from the AGFC.

http://www.agfc.com/Pages/newsDetails.aspx?show=167

Somebody get rid of some extra Rotenone??

There was another fish kill yesterday in the same spot. Talked to the head fisheries biologist for the region this morning. He said he thinks it was an oxygen problem for both kills.

OK, YB. But what do you think?

Aliens, Jimmy Hoffa, Agent Orange...?

I would think that Oxygen problems would effect all species but the way he explained it this morning makes sense. He said that the Freshwater Drum prefer the deep holes when it get cold. When the dam is opened the Drum may get caught in those deep holes with low oxygen and can't get to other areas quick enough.