Turtle Doves hang on for another year at Salford Priors

A rare change to get a photo of this years birds

 Bank holiday return

Ground feeding

Three returning birds together

 August juvenile

August juvenile

Previous tracking

Given the status of Turtle Doves I elected to not report on them during the summer but to write a brief summary in the Autumn. It was important the returning three birds are given plenty of space in the hope they can continue to breed in Warwickshire. Early indications are there were only two birds however three birds were photographed together on a wildlife camera. 

This years sightings have been far more difficult as the heavy rain curtailed any early breeding, thankfully the pair persisted and a juvenile was recorded twice in August. Birds were recorded in five different areas. I'm not convinced that work taking place at the pits has had any effect on birds as they always coped when it was a quarry.

The only notable exception was the loss of the birds key feeding areas by the pits which was tragically trashed when the restoration project started.

As always we did have a number of year listers turn up at weekends but thankfully the bird's change of scenery ensured they did not suffer any interruptions. 

Many thanks to Jon & Chris for their sightings and Simon who continues to offer some wonderful habitat for the birds.

2nd May - Bank Holiday - First Turtle Dove observed in the main tree behind buildings in location C. Flew to tree in front of buildings.

4th May - Pair seen separately then together in location C. Male (had been calling) took flight above second bird before joining the female in the air before both flying towards location D where landed in field to feed on the ground.

7th May - Single bird recorded at Location A feeding on ground

21st May - Single bird in trees at Location C.

22nd May - Single bird feeding on ground at Location C.

25th May - Bird seen and heard calling in dead trees at Location C.

26th May - Three birds photographed on wildlife camera.

27th May - Pair observed feeding in garden in location C.

10th June - Adult bird puring in location A on wires above last years nest site.

11th June - Single bird in location C.

19th June - Single bird in trees at Location C.

2nd July -  Single bird in trees at Location C.

24th July - Single bird in trees at Location C.

12th August - Two adults in location B. 1 juvenile between locations C & E.

13th August - Two adults with juvenile in location E before adults took flight leaving juvenile.

28th August - Final adult bird observed in location C.

It was good to read that another six birds will be tracked from East Anglia this winter to West Africa to try and reveal any new evidence why populations keep crashing to now critically low levels.