Why Turtle Doves can lead the way in restoring farm wildlife By Shivani Thevar – Turtle Dove Conservation Adviser (Sussex, Hampshire and West Kent) The charismatic Turtle Dove is a beloved bird in the countryside. Its beautiful wing pattern, striking neck stripes and soothing purring call often make it stand out in both the countryside […]
Continue readingTurtle Dove Talk
Double your impact for Turtle Doves
5th December 2024 6pm update: We’ve just hit £60,000! Thanks to everyone that has donated so far. Please help us hit our £100,000 target by next Tuesday! Getting the UK ‘Turtle Dove Ready’ Between 3 and 10 December, we’re joining the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge. That means for one week only, your festive donation to […]
Continue readingBon voyage and see you next spring!
Bramble bushes are laden with berries, spiders’ webs are catching early morning dew and the flowers of earlier in the year have transformed into crisp seedheads – summer is slowly drifting into autumn. For us that means seeing the countryside shift from the greens and yellows of spring and summer to the reds and oranges […]
Continue readingBig news – Turtle Dove numbers in Western Europe are on the up!
With summer in full swing and our advisors out and about working with farmers and other land managers, we’ve had really encouraging reports of Turtle Doves, including young birds, in places where people are actively managing the land to help these special visitors. Recovery begins It’s great to hear when Turtle Doves have returned to […]
Continue readingOperation Turtle Dove is heading to Groundswell 2024
Last year the Operation Turtle Dove team spent a fantastic couple of days at Groundswell, talking all things Turtle Dove. And we’re pleased to announce that we’ll be back there this year. So if you’re heading to Groundswell (26-27 June) do say hello! You’ll find us at stand PF B4 in the RSPB tent. Our […]
Continue readingTurtle Doves – Can you hear them yet?
Spring means one thing for anyone involved in Turtle Dove conservation – Turtle Doves are returning! As we write this in early April, the birds will have already spread their wings and be well into their long voyage from the savannahs of West Africa, across the Sahara and the Mediterranean Sea and into Iberia and […]
Continue readingMeet the team
Across the Turtle Dove’s core range in southern and eastern England, the RSPB has a team of advisors who are working with a range of dedicated people who share our passion for saving the Turtle Dove. Rick Bayne, Operation Turtle Dove Senior Project Manager from the RSPB, introduces some of the team. Operation Turtle Dove […]
Continue readingGet creative!
Turtle Doves are beautiful birds and they feed on the seeds of very some pretty plants. We’ve combined the two in a colouring sheet that you can download below. Get creative! We’d love to see your completed colouring sheets – share them with us at @SaveTurtleDoves on Twitter/X or email them to an advisor. Download […]
Continue readingGiving the gift of hope: How hundreds of farmers and volunteers across South East and Eastern England are helping to save rare Turtle Doves
As 2023 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the fantastic efforts that have been made this year to support Turtle Dove conservation. Hundreds of UK farmers, landowners and volunteers are helping to give the gift of hope for Turtle Doves, working with Operation Turtle Dove to provide better nesting and feeding habitat for the […]
Continue readingTalking Turtle Doves – we answer some frequently asked questions
Operation Turtle Dove is working with hundreds of people – farmers, land managers, communities and a whole host of volunteers – to create the right habitat conditions to allow Turtle Doves to thrive once more. Below, we’ve set out some frequently asked questions and their answers to help shed some light on Turtle Doves, how […]
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