Black bamboo flowering and dying

[Sue]

I was quite bemused as to why the leaves on my black bamboo were apparently dying and it  had weird things apparently growing on it.

Then I came across this:

https://inspectaslr.co.uk/black-bamboo-flowering-a-rare-worldwide-phenomenon-spotted-by-inspectas/

I was fond of my bamboo, which has grown in my garden for years, and the sparrows liked to perch and swing on it, too.

Has anyone else locally had this happen? Presumably anybody with a black bamboo.

Looking on the bright side,  I will be left with a lot of useful bean poles.