Turtle Doves – Wakelyns

We are delighted that, each year, turtle doves spend the summer and nest in the old dense hedges at Wakelyns. You can here their distinctive purring call here most days from May to August. Turtle doves are now rare and declining, largely due to the habitat and food losses that have come from conventional farming practices. We are working with the RSPB on supplementary feeding and more habitat creation to give the turtle doves an even better chance at Wakelyns.

Here’s one right above our farmyard photographed by Jeremy Gugenheim.

And one from David Bebber

A turtle dove seen at Wakelyns Farm, Suffolk.

Harry filmed this one in the farmyard:

Amanda filmed this on her phone in 2023 through a telescope

For more about other wildlife at Wakelyns see here.

For wildlife and bird surveys at Wakelyns see here.

The BBC’s Start the Week programme did a lovely piece in March 2025 about just the kinds of stuff we are doing in terms of wildlife and habitat creation at Wakelyns. Listen here.