Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-05-08
WILD PIGEONS IN MICHIGAN,
The Flight Of Millions Toward the
EOrth-HOW They Build Their

Correspondence Of the Detroit Post
LITTLE TRAVERSE, MICH, April A.-Something
more than four weeks ago the biennial flight OF
pglons 70 the woods Of northern Michigan, for
Nhlch the hunters had long been watching,
commenced. These birds on their journeyings
rom the south to the far north stop every two
usually coming In immense numbers ON
the alternate years, when beech-nuts are not
ABUNDANT In this state. they take some other
their first nesting was I'm AIlegan or Ottawa
county. or late they have generally settled
nrst la Shelby, Oceana county, and later in the
season sea, In Benze and Emmett counties. Two
years ago they skipped both Oceana and Benzie
counties and nested first In Emmett, near Petos-
Key. This year their first fight was to the
same section, but they soon discovered that
1hey mad been fooled by the warm weather fur.
ther south The weather about Petoskey was
still cold, the bay was frozen over, the snow
was deep In the woods. the prospect for good
parent 1rresolution and many errattc flights
the birds, as II by common consent, took their
course course to the neighborhood OF Platte river in
at the time, they came in clouds, millions
upon millions. 1t seemed as if the entire world
OF pigeons was concentrating at this point. The
air was full of them and The sun shut out of
sight, and still they came, millions upon mil
mons more" They spread over an area of more
than Is miles in length and to miles wide,
ana me prospect for a time was that the nest
ing would De the most extensive ever known in
the state. The news speedily reached all parts
OF the state, and it is said that in a fortnight,s
Time 800 hunters-professionals, amateurs,
SfeehnOrnS-had invaded the country from ali
directions, surrounding and penetrating the
nesting grounds.
1t was noticed, however, by. old hunters that
ILe tlrds Old not settle down TO domestic life as
qui' KY as usual The roosting birds-that is,
lLose who had not yet mated-outnumbered the
nesting birds hundred to one. Some of the
more Jealous and inconsiderate sportsmen en-
tered the nesting woods and commenced pop
ping away at the nests themselves. "a snow storm
followed, high winds prevailed, and many of the
tts3G,sung 6lrds, disguised, postponed their an
tiClpaJeu housekeeping and scattered. The nest
Ing consequently falls far short in magnitude of
what was at first expected, though still large in
arr and containing millions OF birds. 1t scat
tered along the banks of the Platte river in the
townships of Almtra, iceland and Homestead
Inc distance from one end to the other Is over 10
miles, and the width varies from a few rods to
three or four miles. There are, however, numer-
GUS long distances between the two extremes
where no nests are to be found, and the birds
have occasionally changed their ground so that
many OF the hunters themselves are very uncer-
the present time. In the nests first made the
Young are about ready to fly and have be n
aDandoned by the old birds, and in some places
owing to the winds and the constant shooting
me nests nave been deserted before any birGS
were Matched.
One nesi ing is about the same as another, and
the first nest you come to like the million others
IN The county. When these migratory birds
have mated, decided where to settle, and have
staked of their claim, they proceed at once to
construct about the slightest nest that will hold
an egg and bird. ''Three sticks and feather"
constitute about the material, according to
recent visitor here. The feather is often want
lIg, but a few more sticks are generally added.
The nest Is placed in the crotch Of tree on two
forked branches, or anywhere else in the tree
where suitable support can be found. Cedar
trees along the river bottoms seem to be pre-
ferred, but when the neStings are large, beech
and other trees are occupied. From half
dozen to 80 or % nests are built In tree. and
only one egg is laid in each nest.