Turtle Dove Speculation

Round about the 15^th of the month Tony Edwards asked the question on Oxonbirds if others had an opinion on the marital status of the Buscot Turtle Dove, having motored down that way yesterday topping up Tree Sparrow sites I took the opportunity to call in and enjoy the purring of this beauty and get some video and pics. Driving to my next point of call I came upon my mate dr. Bill Haynes one of Oxons first rate birders, as usual he was on his bike looking for the world like a Greek god with his blond locks streaming out behind him and not an ounce of fat on him, this was an opportune meeting as I wished to ask his opinion on the Turtle Dove, he was the person who first located this bird four years ago and like the rest of us has mused on whether it’s the same bird returning and if it has managed to survive the brainless killers of birds en-route to this country or is in fact a younger version of the original, Bill rightly pointed out that the story of the killing of a possible mate could be just that, as it has all been a bit vague and there is a strong possibility if indeed a dove has at some stage been shot the likelihood is one of the many Collared in the vicinity as joe public usually has no knowledge of the difference, also it would seem rather unlikely that the TD would spend four years without carrying out the whole purpose of its trip – procreation – and so we cling to the hope that there is indeed a Ms Turtle Dove fruitfully brooding young in the area.

Camboy