Dead Birds Rain on N.J. Town!

[3113]

They know why, and it was intentional...but good gosh! From here:

Residents in a New Jersey town were stunned when hundreds of birds started dropping out of the sky to their deaths, but after officials explained why, residents became fuming mad. Dead birds were found all over Franklin Township in Somerset County, reports CBS station WCBS-TV in New York City. Found on front lawns, rooftops, and even in the middle of the street, neighbors are still picking them up while others are frightened to even get near them.

Andrea Kepic says it was like a scene out of a horror movie when she walked out of her home Friday night. "There was a dead bird on my stoop. Then I looked beyond and saw other dead birds on my steps," she says. "I thought first they were diseased." Kepic says she looked around and there were dead birds as far as her eyes could see. "I walked over to my car stepping over them," she says.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirms it is responsible for a controlled kill to reduce the European starling population. Township manager Ken Daly says the USDA placed seeds tainted with poison at a local farm to kill as many as 5,000 of the birds. "The birds eat the seed and metabolize the poison and die with 24 hours," he tells WCBS. "Once they metabolize, the poison is gone so we've been told by USDA that the carcasses are not a danger to humans or any animals that might eat them."

The problem is Daly says the USDA kept the town in the dark so authorities couldn't warn neighbors, who saw birds falling from the sky. "We did not receive notice of what they were going to do," he says. Neigbhors are mad, too.

"We did clean it, but the people that are responsible for the poisoning these poor creatures, they should clean them," says Franklin Township resident Ray Kiveris. Even though officials say neighbors shouldn't worry, Kepic has frozen a couple of birds and she plans on taking them to Rutgers University to have an autopsy done on them.USDA officials say they believe either state or local officials were notified, but they're investigated. They also say they will help residents cleanup the mess.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Another way of eliminating starlings is to spray their nesting areas with detergent after they roost up at night. It's non-toxic, too, and the birds die of colds and pneumonia. Starlings are horrible birds and introduced aliens that don't belong in N. America. Now if Americans would follow the Italian tradition and eat them, things might be different.

 

[glynndah]

Another way of eliminating starlings is to spray their nesting areas with detergent after they roost up at night. It's non-toxic, too, and the birds die of colds and pneumonia. Starlings are horrible birds and introduced aliens that don't belong in N. America. Now if Americans would follow the Italian tradition and eat them, things might be different.

You've been talking to my husband, haven't you? He keep threatening "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie".

 

[voluptuary_manque]

You've been talking to my husband, haven't you? He keep threatening "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie".

Actually, the tradition is to grill them whole on skewer and serve them on a bed of polenta with or without red sauce poured over the polenta. Since polenta is nothing more that a crude version of hominy, a more healthful version would be to serve them over a bed of grits slathered with red sauce and Parmesan cheese. Since starlings are a pest species, they can be trapped with impunity though since I believe your husband to be a serious outdoorsman, he might prefer a .410 with #10 shot.

 

[Safe_Bet]

... It's non-toxic, too, and the birds die of colds and pneumonia....

Why am I having such a hard time putting those two concepts together?

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Why am I having such a hard time putting those two concepts together?

I didn't say it wasn't lethal, it is. The detergent washes out the natural oils from their feathers and the birds catch cold. That isn't poison, it's the same as introducing artificial cold weather, whatever that might be.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Why do you think they call it the garden state?








Because "Toxic. radioactive waste and garbage disposal state" would be too long to fit on the license plates.

 

[glynndah]

Actually, the tradition is to grill them whole on skewer and serve them on a bed of polenta with or without red sauce poured over the polenta. Since polenta is nothing more that a crude version of hominy, a more healthful version would be to serve them over a bed of grits slathered with red sauce and Parmesan cheese. Since starlings are a pest species, they can be trapped with impunity though since I believe your husband to be a serious outdoorsman, he might prefer a .410 with #10 shot.

Those tubes of cornmeal mush are an excellent substitute for polenta. We have it often in the summer time, sliced, brushed with olive oil and grilled.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Those tubes of cornmeal mush are an excellent substitute for polenta. We have it often in the summer time, sliced, brushed with olive oil and grilled.

Perfect! Then all you need is a grilled starling or two on top of each slice . . . and a bottle of good red, of course.

 

[starrkers]

I'll have to pass on this tidbit to the vineyard owner down the road - he is currently waging war on a flock of thousands of the blasted things.

 

[3113]

I'll have to pass on this tidbit to the vineyard owner down the road - he is currently waging war on a flock of thousands of the blasted things.

The article or advice on how to kill n' cook 'em?

 

[starrkers]

The article or advice on how to kill n' cook 'em?

Killin' and cookin' - he could add the dish to his restaurant menu AND get rid of the buggers eating his grapes

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Traditionally they were trapped with birdlime spread on the branches of trees surrounding vineyards, had their necks wrung like tiny chickens, were plucked and then spitted on wooden skewers and grilled without being drawn. Then the skewers were stuck upright into the mound of polenta and the entire thing presented to the table combining both of the traditional Italian primi and segundi in one dish.

Alternately, I have heard of just breasting out a mess of them out and quickly sauteeing them in butter before serving. This last would be a Midwestern version or possibly New England, depending on where Michael McIntosh really lives.

For those wishing to have the best of tradition and ease of capture, Northwoods Enterprises, a falconry supply house, sells specific starling traps. I don't know how well they work but would be willing to try if we had more starlings in SoCal. I hope we never do.

 

[AceStroker]

I love invasive species in small numbers. Starlings don't show up in small numbers. They are pests, though I've never thought of eating them before. Sounds like a great idea for a Les Stroud survival show filmed in NJ.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I live an hour away from there, and I am hearing about it from a Californian...

 

[3113]

I live an hour away from there, and I am hearing about it from a Californian...

No dead birds on the lawn?

 

[TheeGoatPig]

My cat would have a field day with the bodies, but no, it never happened here.

 

[LadyMoan]

Because "Toxic. radioactive waste and garbage disposal state" would be too long to fit on the license plates.

Don't Laugh. I know some Law makers here who might try it.