Guy Anderson, RSPB Thanks to a certain Christmas song, turtle doves are forever associated with this time of year. Just one example of how frequently they crop up in our music, art, and literature. A bird that punches well above its weight in the heritage of human cultures all across its European and Asian breeding […]
Continue readingTurtle Dove Talk
Big step in progress with ending unsustainable hunting of turtle doves
The RSPB’s Carles Carboneras and Guy Anderson report on a major development with turtle dove hunting in Spain.
Continue readingTurtle Dove update
As we come towards the end of a very unusual spring and summer, we take a look at what’s been happening in the world of turtle dove conservation.
Continue readingDoodle a Dove
Corinne Pardey tells us how people have been taking part in #doodleadove during lockdown. The current ‘Lockdown’ situation has meant many people are staying safe at home. This has meant people are seeing more wildlife in their gardens and surrounding areas than ever before. Species they have never seen before, behaviour they have never witnessed. […]
Continue readingInspired by turtle doves – art raising funds for special bird
Turtle doves have long been part of our culture. Most people will know them from the Christmas carol, ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’, but they also feature in poetry, pop songs and paintings. With their beautiful plumage and patterns, turtle doves continue to inspire artists to this day. Richard Baines of the North Yorkshire Turtle […]
Continue readingManaging land for turtle doves
Turtle doves are now making their long southward journeys to sub-Saharan Africa to spend the winter months. They may only have just left. But it’s not too early to start thinking about the things we can all do to provide them with feeding, nesting and drinking sites when they return next spring. This blog outlines […]
Continue readingLooking out for turtle doves in France
Turtle doves are now back on their breeding grounds in East Anglia and south-east England, feeding up and raising their chicks. Earlier this spring though, they crossed agricultural land, desert and seas in their travels. One site in France is renowned for being a great place to witness turtle dove migration in action. Jeremy Dupuy […]
Continue readingHinterland – Garden
In the final instalment of Jonny Rankin’s series on ‘hinterland’ habitats for turtle doves, he celebrates the garden. Having celebrated scrub and quarry, the last of my hinterland habitats is garden. As a loud and proud turtle dove advocate, I occasionally receive invitations to see turtle doves on people’s land, sometimes even in gardens. On this […]
Continue readingHinterland – Quarry
In the second of his series of blogs celebrating the turtle dove, Jonny Rankin recounts an unforgettable discovery. Just days after my first turtle dove of the year on the forest edge, I took the opportunity to walk around a nature reserve adjacent to a working quarry, looping around the northern edge of the reserve […]
Continue readingHinterland – Scrub
In the first of three blogs about turtle dove habitats, Jonny Rankin celebrates scrub and potentially one of his bird watching highlights of the year. My first turtle dove of the year was adjacent to a beautiful cottage – a cottage deep in thick cover in a section of treed scrub on the forest edge […]
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