A319 SUFFERS BIRD STRIKE ON TAKE OFF.

Narrative

DURING CLB AT ABOUT 4500 FT MSL; A LOUD THUD WAS HEARD BELOW THE COCKPIT. WE SUSPECTED A BIRD STRIKE. WE CHKED PRESSURIZATION; ENGS; HYDS; AND FLT CTLS. ALL WERE NORMAL. I THEN CONTACTED THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT; WHO STATED THAT A COMPARTMENT IN THE FORWARD LAVATORY HAD OPENED AND THE CONTENTS HAD FALLEN OUT; CAUSING A NOISE. I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THIS WOULD HAVE CAUSED A NOISE AS LOUD AS THE ONE WE HEARD. AS THE FO AND I CONTINUED TO DISCUSS THE INCIDENT; THE POSSIBILITY OF A BURST NOSEWHEEL TIRE CAMP UP; DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE NOISE BEING BELOW THE FLT DECK. WE DECIDED TO HAVE EMER EQUIP MEET THE FLT UPON OUR LNDG AS A PRECAUTION. I USED THE ACARS TO NOTIFY DISPATCH; AND INFORMED APCH CTL OF THE POSSIBILITY OF A FLAT NOSEWHEEL AND REQUESTED THE EQUIP AND THE LONGEST RWY (RWY 31L). I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. I NOTIFIED THE FLT ATTENDANTS OF OUR CONCERN; TOLD THEM WE WOULD BE ON THE GND IN 15-20 MINS; AND TO PREPARE FOR A NORMAL LNDG. I MADE A PAX PA EXPLAINING THE SITUATION AND STATING THAT THE EMER EQUIP WOULD BE STANDING BY AS A PRECAUTION. I REVIEWED WITH THE FO THE QRH PROC FOR A BURST NOSEWHEEL TIRE. WE LOWERED THE LNDG GEAR EARLY IN THE APCH TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO PROB WITH EXTENSION. THE FO MADE A STABILIZED APCH; UTILIZING THE ILS AND A FULL FLAP CONFIGN. THE TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT WERE NORMAL; AS WAS THE TAXI BACK TO THE GATE. AFTER DEPLANING; WE OBSERVED A SMALL DENT ON THE R FUSELAGE BELOW THE FO'S SIDE WINDOW JUST FORWARD OF THE STATIC PORTS; AND BIRD REMAINS ALONG THE FUSELAGE; ON THE ENG STRUT AND ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING BTWN THE ENG AND THE FUSELAGE. I DEBRIEFED THE DISPATCHER AND THE ARPT FIRE CHIEF; AND ENTERED THE BIRD STRIKE IN THE LOGBOOK.