Most people buy houses because of the proximity of schools or for other sensible reasons, but one of the influencing factors for me in moving to Bowbeck was hearing the gentle purring of turtle doves when I viewed the house. Turtle doves are delightful, dainty birds that are summer visitors to England, and aren’t to be confused with the ubiquitous and much less charming collared dove, a common resident.   

During the summers of 2005 and 2006 turtle doves were often to be heard, if not seen, here but in 2007 they were conspicuous by their absence. Last spring I did hear one singing close by on a number of occasions, but this year I’ve only seen a single bird locally, and that was flying over. Not only have their gone from Bowbeck, but I gather that few have been seen around Bardwell this summer, either.

Turtle doves are in deep trouble in England, their population falling fast, as the lack of birds locally reminds us. Research into the decline suggests a number of reasons, ranging from difficulties on their wintering grounds in West Africa to poor breeding success here in England. Modern, tidy farming means that there is no longer the abundance of weed seeds for them to feed on, with the result that they only attempt to breed twice, rather than three times, a summer. Each clutch is of only two egg, so productivity has fallen by at least a third. Add in the enthusiasm of shooters in the Mediterranean to hunt them during both their spring and autumn migration and it’s easy to see why they are disappearing so quickly from our countryside.

David Tomlinson 2009