Species Account
Extract from Bird Report 2024
Common resident. Included in 24.8% of BirdTrack lists, but 33.7% in 2023. Th e East of England long-term trend is increasing +4%, but the long-term trend for Bedfordshire is decreasing -32%*. (Green list).
Display flights were first seen on 11th January in Henlow, and these continued until the end of July. Recently fledged young were first seen at Warden Hill Everton on 6th June and three days Number of sites with purring male Turtle Doves later at Tetworth Hall Estate. In the Summer Garden Bird Survey they were in 94% of gardens, the highest level since the summer survey of 2019. They undoubtedly bred in many of those gardens too. The highest count was 45 in Blunham on 15th February.
