23/03/2026
Early Spring Return
This week a c**k Turtle Dove (Streptopelia turtur) was heard cooing in a tree close to one of the Trust’s release enclosures. This is our first returnee in 2026 and is hopefully the first of many more to return from winter migration.
A migratory species, they return to their breeding sites in April to May. The distinctive gentle and rhythmic “turr-turr” song signals the presence of males in their preferred habitat: areas with overgrown hedges, woodland edges and open farmland. They are best seen and heard in East Anglia and south-east England during spring and summer.
If you are lucky enough to see or hear one, please let us know. Sightings can be reported on our website: turtledovetrust.org.uk/sightings
