Summer is the perfect season to photograph colorful birds.
Turtle dove
The turtle dove arrives in the UK in late April and leaves again in September for the winter in northern sub-Saharan Africa. It is a small, dainty dove with orange and brown chequered upperparts, a pale pink breast, and white belly. It has a small black and white streaked patch on its neck. The grey tail has a white tip which is conspicuous in flight.
It is light and agile when flying, often rolling from side to side. During display it will rise steeply before making a long, gliding descent in a wide arc with its wings extended forwards and its tail fanned before landing on a perch. Its call is a long, monotonous purring sound repeated a few times with short intervals which gives the species its name.
It is a scarce migrant and can be spotted mainly in the south east of England in open country, bushy downland, hedgerows, and fields. Like many members of the pigeon and dove family its nest is a flimsy platform made from twigs. Turtle doves produce 2 or 3 broods a season. Juveniles can be seen from May.
The turtle dove arrives in the UK in late April and leaves again in September for the winter in northern sub-Saharan Africa. It is a small, dainty dove with orange and brown chequered upperparts, a pale pink breast, and white belly. It has a small black and white streaked patch on its neck. The grey tail has a white tip which is conspicuous in flight.
It is light and agile when flying, often rolling from side to side. During display it will rise steeply before making a long, gliding descent in a wide arc with its wings extended forwards and its tail fanned before landing on a perch. Its call is a long, monotonous purring sound repeated a few times with short intervals which gives the species its name.
It is a scarce migrant and can be spotted mainly in the south east of England in open country, bushy downland, hedgerows, and fields. Like many members of the pigeon and dove family its nest is a flimsy platform made from twigs. Turtle doves produce 2 or 3 broods a season. Juveniles can be seen from May.
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05 June 2022
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