CARJ STRIKES MULTIPLE GEESE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. RETURNS UNDER EMER CONDITIONS. THE DAMAGED ENG REMAINED RUNNING.

Narrative

JUST AFTER TKOF; OUR FLT SUSTAINED MULTIPLE BIRD STRIKES ALONG THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT JUST UNDER THE CAPT'S WINDSCREEN. ADDITIONALLY; THE #1 (L) ENG SHOWED N1; ITT; VIBRATION FLUCTUATIONS ALONG WITH THE DISTINCT SMELL OF BURNING FLESH WHICH WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ENG HAD INGESTED AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF BIRDS. THE FLT WAS ON A NIGHT IFR FLT PLAN. ATC WAS INFORMED AND AN EMER DECLARED WITH THE INTENTION OF RETURNING TO ZZZ. CFR ASSISTANCE WAS ALSO REQUESTED. SOULS ON BOARD AND FUEL STATE WAS RELAYED TO ATC. THOUGH THE L ENG WAS DAMAGED; IT STILL WAS PRODUCING SOME THRUST. THEREFORE; I ELECTED NOT TO SHUT THE ENG DOWN. IF NECESSARY; I WOULD USE REDUCED THRUST. WE ALSO HAD AN MEL DEFERRAL ON 1 ELECTRIC HYD PUMP WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE LNDG GEAR TO DEPLOY SLOWER THAN NORMAL. WE BRIEFED THIS AND DEPLOYED THE LNDG GEAR EARLY TO ALLOW FOR NORMAL EXTENSION. THE LNDG WAS CARRIED OUT SAFELY ON THE LONGEST RWY. AFTER TAXIING OFF RWY; THE ACFT WAS STOPPED SO THAT CFR COULD INSPECT US. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE. THEREFORE; WE PROCEEDED BACK TO THE GATE. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED MULTIPLE IMPACTS JUST BELOW THE CAPT'S WINDSCREEN AND THE #1 (L) ENG SHOWED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PAX OR CREW. BEING NIGHTTIME; THERE WAS NO WAY TO SEE OR AVOID THE BIRDS WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE GEESE.