Martha, the last passenger pigeon

[Webb]

Martha (c. 1885–September 1, 1914) was the last known living passenger pigeon; she was named "Martha" in honor of the first First Lady Martha Washington.

The passenger pigeon or wild pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius) is an extinct North American bird. Named after the French word passager for "passing by", it was once the most abundant bird in North America, and possibly the world. It accounted for more than a quarter of all birds in North America. The species lived in enormous migratory flocks until the early 20th century, when hunting and habitat destruction led to its demise. One flock in 1866 in southern Ontario was described as being 1 mi (1.5 km) wide and 300 mi (500 km) long, took 14 hours to pass, and held in excess of 3.5 billion birds. That number, if accurate, would likely represent a large fraction of the entire population at the time.

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Martha
Passenger pigeon

[G.K.]

Shame.

but with flocks that size I bet the farmers were glad to see the back of them.

[Fozzer]

Sometimes I think that we have similar sized flocks of Pigeons in my town centre.....

....together with similar sized flocks of Land Gulls....

....and acres of Bird Poo...

Land/Sea Gulls are best left in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!

Paul.....Pigeons are best eaten in a pastry pie...Yummy!.... ...!

[Sprocket]

Shame.

but with flocks that size I bet the farmers were glad to see the back of them.

I have absolutely no doubt about the numbers quoted here, and have seen similar myself.

My parents were farmers in the north-west territories in South Africa, where I grew up as a child.
A major problem in those areas, and still is, are the overwhelming flocks of Quelea, a small red billed bird.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-billed_quelea

In some favorable years the numbers would be excessive, and we would stand and watch the flocks fly by..which could take all of 4 hours to pass.
There are hundreds of thousands of birds in one such a flock, which of course would decimate an entire planted crop in a matter of hours.

"They are regarded as pests by farmers because they can eliminate crops in a short period of time. Due to the large numbers and localised devastation of cereal crops, control actions have been undertaken. As many as 150-180 million birds have been killed but this appeared to have no effect on the overall quelea population and only temporary relief from crop damage. Many non-target birds appeared to have also been killed in these control operations and may have had severe population deprivations as a result."

Now here is the cruel part:
Early evenings the flock would find a place or area to roost for the night.
In an attempt to curtail the numbers, the farmers would note where the roosting areas are, and then "set" rows and rows of petrol bombs, some rows half a mile long, in amongst the
grass and reeds where the birds come down for the night.

Once they have settled down, the entire area would then be "exploded" into flame. But I remember it all being a futile attempt really...
But that was then, 50 years ago, and the practice has been outlawed now for many years.

Jan

[G.K.]

That sounds like a nightmare for the farmers.

Down in the S.E. of England Starlings are the only thing that flocks in any great numbers, I've no idea if they are a pest to farmers. Later in the year they provide an incredible spectacle as they dive about in their "Murmurations" just before roosting, Eastbourne pier used to be a good location to watch.

Pigeons and Herring Gulls are a pain in this area, populations kept artificially high because folk insist on feeding them.

[Bass]

I hate those two
They are ruin my sleep

[Fozzer]

I hate those two
They are ruin my sleep
https://www.simviation.com/phpupload/upl ... 760440.jpg

Kurt....

Pigeon Pie Delight.
Pre-heat the oven...(That will scare them)....
De-feather, top and tail, stuff with herbs and spices, cover with bacon, pop in a roasting tray in the gas oven, gas mark 4 for around 2 hours.
Serve with roast potatoes, various vegetables, and a nice onion gravy.
...and a glass of white wine.

That will stop the buggers coo-ing in the early hours of the morning....Trust me!

Paul.... ...!

[Bass]

Hehe!!
Well, i do have some women as neighbours
If just one of those saw me banging down a couple in the park, they'll all round up in a pigion club and haunt me as a pet killer! If it were a rat, they'll love me

[G.K.]

LoL. what does pigeon taste like Fozzer? Not sure I'd want to eat a town pigeon, maybe a woodpigeon would be OK.


Funny how Life throws coincidences at you: I'm decorating my old Victorian House at the moment. On the first floor there is a balcony with a zinc canopy. A pair of pigeons have made a nest up inside the canopy. There is pigeon crap everywhere, there is also a pigeon chick (a squab)........What shall I do with it folks?

[Fozzer]

LoL. what does pigeon taste like Fozzer? Not sure I'd want to eat a town pigeon, maybe a woodpigeon would be OK.


Funny how Life throws coincidences at you: I'm decorating my old Victorian House at the moment. On the first floor there is a balcony with a zinc canopy. A pair of pigeons have made a nest up inside the canopy. There is pigeon crap everywhere, there is also a pigeon chick (a squab)........What shall I do with it folks?

Chick?

...nice, skewered on a stick and barbecued, .....with a tasty sauce dip, GK.... ....!

Paul.... ... ...!

P.S....other folks bloody Cats decimate all my nice garden birds....including the local Wood Pigeons.... ...!

[FoMoCo63]

I'm still overwhelmed at times at man's utter destruction of not only himself, but the livestock of the earth that the Lord created.

I really don't get a problem with the large flocks as they migrate South for the Winter, and then again North in the Spring. I enjoy the loud chatter of the birds when they fill the trees with song.

These photos of the birds below are always around, and one or two end up on the Thanksgiving table. No I don't shoot these birds with a weapon, just use a camera. I get mine as a Butterball or other type from the market

[OldAirmail]

Shame.

but with flocks that size I bet the farmers were glad to see the back of them.

I have absolutely no doubt about the numbers quoted here, and have seen similar myself.

My parents were farmers in the north-west territories in South Africa, where I grew up as a child.
A major problem in those areas, and still is, are the overwhelming flocks of Quelea, a small red billed bird.

...
Jan

For some reason that story reminds me of this cartoon from pbfcomics

Some people see only one side of the story...



And not...

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.

.

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.

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The rest of the story...

[FoMoCo63]

I've been around a little longer than you think airmail, If you want to believe your little cartoon you posted, you go right ahead there cartoon guy. Mother Nature takes a much bigger toll on a farmer when she wants. One sure thing is there is no sure thing when it comes to farming.

[OldAirmail]

No offence intended FoMoCo. And as I don't really get that last post of yours, no offence received on my side.

[Fozzer]

???

No offence intended FoMoCo. And as I don't really get that last post of yours, no offence received on my side.

A reminder of the Great Carrot War of 1632 between the Farmers and the Bunny Rabbits.

Paul...... ....!