They were already scarce in the UK when I was a kid growing up in Kent, but they're now even rarer, a sad decline of a delightful little dove.
When I heard that there was a Turtle Dove giving close views at Northwick Warth on the banks of the Severn River near Bristol I couldn't resist calling in on the way past one day to see if I could finally see one and hopefully get a photo too!
It was quite a dull day, but it was a wonderful place for birding, one I hadn't been to before! There were Skylarks, Linnets, Wheatears, Pied Wagtails and Meadow Pipits all over the place on the short grass, and in the sheltered pools were flocks of Black Tailed Godwits, Redshanks and Dunlin, plus a handful of Knot and Snipe! One bird amongst the Redshanks was the rarer Spotted Redshank, a bird I'd only ever since once before!
Alas....the birders present had been there most of the morning and they all said the Turtle Dove hadn't been seen! I was a bit gutted, I took some photos of a Magpie hopping about on the backs of some cattle to console myself, then I started to walk back to my parked car.
Most of the birders had gone by this stage, but as I passed one, he said something which I missed, 'pardon?' I asked.
'Turtle Dove' he whispered, pointing to the short grass just below the path we were stood on. Sure enough, there was the elusive Dove, slowly and unobtrusively walking about, pecking every now and then at the ground! I must have walked past it and not even noticed!! I was struck by how small it seemed compared to it's common relative the Collared Dove, and despite it's beautiful colours and markings it was quite well camouflaged in the grass! The bird was very confiding, I laid down on my stomach on the bank and managed some close shots, without needing to go right up to it and possibly flushing it.
I met Matt Scott there too, a great bird photographer who I had been following on Flickr for a while. It's always a pleasure meeting other like-minded birders and nature lovers whilst out and about!
I left very happy that I had finally 'ticked' the bird off my life list, plus managed some decent shots of it to boot! :)
Other greats birds seen and photographed since my last blog post was a Hobby at Westhay Moor, a Kingfisher, a Bittern, Great White Egrets and Kestrels at RSPB Greylake and Golden Plovers near Butleigh in Somerset!
Below are photo's of most mentioned above, plus Buzzard, Little Egrets, Herons and Blue Tits!
^Above^ - The gorgeous Turtle Dove at Northwick Warth near Bristol!
^Above^ - Spotted Redshank (Lighter bird at back!) with Redshank and Dunlin at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Black Tailed Godwits with a handful of Redshank and Dunlin at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Black Tailed Godwits at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Dunlin at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Redshank at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Redshanks flying above Black Tailed Godwits at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Skylarks at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Pied Wagtail at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Meadow Pipit at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Meadow Pipit and Pied Wagtail at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Wigeon at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Knot at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Magpie amongst the cows at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Starlings at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Wheatear at Northwick Warth.
^Above^ - Hobby at Westhay Moor in Somerset.
^Above^ - Robin at Bishop's Palace in Wells, Somerset.
^Above^ - Kestrel being chased by Jackdaws near Gillingham in Dorset.
^Above^ - Red Admiral near Gillingham.
^Above^ - Fungi near Gillingham.
^Above^ - Jackdaw near Gillingham.
^Above^ - Golden Plover near Butleigh in Somerset.
^Above^ - Kingfisher at RSPB Greylake in Somerset.
^Above^ - Bittern at Greylake, chased by a Crow in the distance in the bottom pic!
^Above^ - Great White Egrets at Greylake.
^Above^ - Grey Heron at Greylake.
^Above^ - Little Egrets at Greylake.
^Above^ - Buzzard at Greylake.
^Above^ - Kestrels at Greylake.
^Above^ - Moorhen at Greylake.
^Above^ - Reed Warbler at Greylake.
^Above^ - Mallards at Greylake,
^Above^ - Mute Swans at Greylake.
^Above^ - Starlings at Greylake.
^Above^ - Blue Tits at Greylake,
^Above^ - Various Dragonflies at Greylake.
^Above^ - Worker and machinary at Greylake.
^Above^ - Buzzard at High Ham in Somerset.
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