Bird Sightings: Mourning Dove

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Bird Sightings: Mourning Dove

Mourning Dove (Carolina Pigeon, Carolina Turtledove) First Winter

Zenaida macroura

Photography © Terry Fountain
Baleshare - South Uist - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
1st November, 2007

"Today I got to see a Mourning Dove found by Brian Rabbits this afternoon.(Baleshare Causeway) I have attached a couple of pics for your site. There was also a Blackcap there...Forgot to say the actual location is Carnach...It has been a very very exciting day, weather aside."

Near end of track to Loch na Faoileige
Grid Ref: NF802637 OS maps

Mourning Dove (plaintive cooing)

Zenaida macroura

AKA: Carolina Pigeon, Carolina Turtledove

Accidental

Only 2 UK records 1958 - 2004 BTO

Light grey & brown, muted colour. Males & females similar

Distribution: North & Central America, Southern Canada & offshore islands (130 million in USA)

Habitat: Open & semi-open areas, forest, farmland, urban

Diet: Seeds, esp of cereals

Winters: Areas where January temp above -12°C

The mourning dove was first seen by Brian Rabbitts on November 1st, 2007 about (4km three miles) from where he Carinish previously saw one in 1999!

It is only the third record for Britain. A mourning dove was trapped and ringed at the Calf of Man Bird Observatory (Isle of Man) on 31st October 1989, ( it was found dead next day).

(One other occurence is recorded, on 9th February 1998 a mourning dove arrived at Heathrow Airport on a plane from Chicago, USA).

There was a report at the weekend 4th November, 2007 of a sighting on the island of Innish Boffin in Galway, and another report 7th November, 2007 of a possible mourning dove in Arisaig (Scotland)

Our Morning Dove photographs:

Morning Dove Morning Dove Morning Dove Morning Dove Morning Dove

Links to the blogs (pics too) of some of the birders who came up for the mourning dove twitch:

Lee drove up from Southampton
Ashley came up via Newbury
Garry from West Sussex

Terry Fountain's web site:
http://www.hebridesphotographic.com

Other local bird photographs

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