Bird deaths: Did NWS radar capture startled flock?

The loop shows rainstorms moving away to the north and east of the radar. But at a spot about 25 nautical miles northeast of the radar, an unusual reflection appears, expands and moves off to the southeast with the prevailing winds. It's the green blob on the still radar image above.

"Could these returns be birds disturbed from the nightly roosting sites?" Steve asks.

"Given what was on radar...just a few light showers moving NE and examination of surface obs within 30nm of this area showed nothing unusual (no high wind gusts, eg). There were a few positive lightning strikes about 50-55 nautical miles to the SE over Arkansas County around 0430 UTC. Positive lightning strikes carry much more current then negative strikes...and have a much bigger "boom" then negative strikes. Still, they were located 55 miles away...although it would not be entirely impossible other lightning (non-cloud-to-ground) could have occurred.

"But I don't have any data that could show that (i.e., there is no lightning detection network that I know of in that area that would pick up the "total" lightning (e.g., within cloud or cloud-to-air)

"I'd say there is not a meteorological explanation. Exploding fireworks sounds like the most plausible...given the time of year...New Year's Eve...and that many folks like to shoot off fireworks to celebrate the New Year."