Immense Numbers of Pigeons in New Jersey and New York

We learn there are immense numbers of pigeons in the vicinity of the city, in every direction. The Express on Tuesday says: — We are informed by a market man, this morning, that there was an immense number of wild pigeons to be found about two miles and a half from Hoboken, in New Jersey. They are in the finest condition and so abundant as to break down the trees upon which they alight. One man, before breakfast, a short time since, succeeded in killing no less than three hundred. The younger sportsmen of our city never had a better opportunity to ignite a few pounds of powder.

And the Brooklyn Advertiser of the same day says: — The woods from Flatbush to Fort Hamilton and Bath are swarming with wild pigeons. A sportsman that cannot shoot sixty within the hour is considered but a poor shot. Pigeon pie is a fashionable dish in the state of Long Island, just now.

September 17, 1847. Pigeons. Huntington Long Islander 9(6): 2.

Wild Pigeons at New York and New Jersey

The Woods in the vicinity of New York and also on Long Island and New Jersey, are filled with wild pigeons. Some parts of the Harlem road yesterday were lined with gunners who found no difficulty in filling their bags in a short time. — N.Y. Post.

September 7, 1829. Wild pigeons. Baltimore Patriot and Mercantile Advertiser 34(59): 2.

Communications - The Wild Pigeon

It is well known that the wild pigeon is a bird of passage, and that it frequents these parts regularly twice every year. In the spring, large flocks come from the south, and disperse amongst the uplands and mountains in the northern parts of this and the neighboring states; where they hatch and rear their young; and in the autumn, they collect together again, and with their young proceed to the south. They cannot well stand the cold, nor subsist upon the buds of trees as other birds indigenous to these northern climes; and of course are obliged to emigrate to a warmer climate when the weather becomes cold and the ground is covered with snow. Extraordinary, however, as it may seem, it is a fact, that since the first of the present month, large flocks of these birds have appeared amongst us, and have scattered themselves as usual throughout the woods. Great numbers of them have been taken with nets in the upper part of New Jersey, and one of the markets in this city has for several days past been supplied with them. An old farmer who had taken 300 and carried most of them to market, told me that they appeared in general to come from the southwest : that they were very fat, and continued in the woods where he lived, subsisting chiefly upon the frozen acorns, found upon the branches of the oak. he says they are very wild, that he recollects but one instance of the kind happening before during all his life; and that was on a Christmas many years ago, when he also caught a great number of them. A curious question then arises, what could induce these harmless birds, contrary to their nature and custom, to pay us a visit at this inclement season of the year?

January 25, 1815. Communications. The wild pigeon. Columbian 6(1605): 2.

Reed-bird Shooting - A Poem from 1879

Three men and a bull-dog ugly,

Two guns, and a terrier lame;

They'd better stand out in the mind these,

And set themselves up for game!

But no! I see, by the cocking

Of that red-haired Paddy's eye,

He's been 'reeding' to much for you, Sir,

Any such game to try!

 

'Whist, Jamey, me boy! kape dark there,

And bould the big bull-dog in:

There's a bloody big cloud of rade-birds

That nade a peperin'!'

'Chip-bang!' speaks the single-barrel;

'Flip-booong!' roars the old 'Queen-Anne;'

There's a Paddy stretched out in the mud-hole,

A kicked-over, knocked down man!

 

The big bull-dog's eyes stick out,

And the terrier's barks begin;

The Paddy digs out of the deep mud,

And then the 'discoursin' comes in:

'Oh Jamey, ye precious young blag-guard,

I know ye're the divil's son,

How many fingers' load, thin,

Did ye put in this damned old gun?'

 

'How many fingers? Be jabers!

I nivir put in a one!

D'ye think I'd be afther ramming

Me fingers into the gun?'

'Well, give me the powdher, Jamey!'

'The powdher! as sure I'm born,

I put it all in yer musket,

As I had ne'er a powdher-horn!'

November 29, 1879. Rahway [N.J.] Weekly Advocate and Times 38(48): 1. Transcribed as printed, including word spelling.

Strange Birds in New Jersey, 1876

Strange Birds.

A Flock of birds, flying at such a height in the air that it was impossible to determine their character, was observed by Mr. Isaac S. Payne, on Thursday last. Something singular in the actions of the birds aroused Mr. Payne's curiosity as to what they might be, and he watched their movements until the flock descended slowly, and alighted near the pond and swamp on the farm of Mr. Samuel C. Nelson. Chas. Gilman, being informed of the fact, sent his son William to see what manner of fowl of bird the newcomers were. William proceeded with his gun to the pond where he found the birds, and, being a good shot, brought down five of them, at which time Chas. Gilman and Chas. W. Drummond arrived at the scene of action, and Mr. Gilman killed one, and wounded another slightly, which was then dispatched by Drummond. On the following day B. Mawbey shot another in the old clay-pit ponds on the farm of C.F Newton.

No one has been able to say definitely what these birds are. The body is entirely white, the tail and ends of the wings being black. The bill is of a purplish hue, and six inches in length; the legs are white, measuring 22 inches, and the feet are similar to those of a turkey.. The largest bird weighed about seven pounds, and the wings when extended measure five feet from tip to tip.

Mr. J. Ross Valentine took some of them to New York, where they are to be stuffed, and will, most probably, be on exhibition in some prominent place in the village. They are thought to be a species of heron, and have probably found their way here from some southern swamp.

June 29, 1876. Woodbridge Independent Hour 1(12): 1. This newspaper was issued at Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

The description of these birds most closely matches the features of the Wood Stork. How splendid that a number of descriptive features were presented for a detailed analysis. The account is especially interesting since it mentions the people involved, the places where the birds occurred, and most especially features of the dead birds which are an obvious aid in determining a probable identification.