We've all heard of the decline in House Sparrows and Starlings in towns and cities (for whatever reason) but we hear very little of other birds in decline.
One bird which I've noticed is now scarce in my area (in south-east Dorset) is the Collared Dove. It was originally an immigrant from south-east Europe which rapidly spread across Europe and eventually to Britain in the late 1950's, whereafter it became a reasonably common resident breeding bird.
I remember seeing flocks of up 25 daily in the mid-1980's when I started birding properly, and would frequently see small flocks of spring migrants flying north in April and May. However, since about the mid-1990's I have very rarely seen more than two and can go for several weeks without seeing any at all.
Have any of you had this impression or are Collared Doves still going strong in your area?
One bird which I've noticed is now scarce in my area (in south-east Dorset) is the Collared Dove. It was originally an immigrant from south-east Europe which rapidly spread across Europe and eventually to Britain in the late 1950's, whereafter it became a reasonably common resident breeding bird.
I remember seeing flocks of up 25 daily in the mid-1980's when I started birding properly, and would frequently see small flocks of spring migrants flying north in April and May. However, since about the mid-1990's I have very rarely seen more than two and can go for several weeks without seeing any at all.
Have any of you had this impression or are Collared Doves still going strong in your area?
