Thursday 3 February 2011

Stock Dove at Margam Park

I found a pair of Stock Dove today near Margam Castle, possibly the same pair that Martyn Hnatuik found last year and maybe returning to the same location, I'm not sure? Whatever the case they have quite a local breeding distribution in Wales and, with the exception of the well known roosting area near Eglwys are not that commonly recorded within Neath Port Talbot. Armed with just my digiscoping gear today I chose to Video the male bird (confirmed by singing)
The video isn't that good but I've decided to post a few "frame grabs" just to show the bird and some distinctive features. In the photo above the sitting bird does not show the white collar of an adult Woodpigeon or the white wing flashes that occur on both adult and juvenile Woodpigeons.
The flight shots show a very broad tail band and also the much more extensive dark band that runs along the trailing edge of the inner-wing. Also the complete lack of white wing flashes separate them from Woodpigeon.
 

No comments: