I tend to agree that while it's possible to hit a bird up high, maybe him being caught in an updraft, t storm, who knows, it's more likely that damage was done earlier.
Maybe a nick on a blade, that eventualy came apart, ect.
On a funny note, in the Mojave, they send chickens and turkeys through engines to test just this fact, on how they would affect an engine.
I am curious if anyone has any luck turning up the radar to get birds to move off the runway, never helped me, it doesn't move a herd of Elk either.
SSG