This is the time of year that I get flocks of mourning doves migrating along
the lakeshore.  Last year and the year before I have seen what have appeared
to be single Eurasian collared-doves in amongst the mourning dove flocks.
They were larger and shorter-tailed than the accompanying mourning doves.
The speed which they pass, confusion between them and turtle dove, and their
rarity have always made me just want to leave them as unidentified.
Yesterday I saw another one pass by and today I saw two birds in two
different flocks, both heading west.  The second flock briefly landed in a
cottonwood, which allowed me to get the bird in the scope and confirm its ID
as a Eurasian collared-dove.  This is my first confirmed collared-dove up
here.

Seeing single birds in the past has made me wonder whether there might be
one hanging around locally.  I know believe that perhaps a few are migrating
with the mourning doves.  When I was banding I had two doves that I had
banded here get shot in Louisiana, so some of the doves are migrating long
distances.  Anybody along the lake this time should carefully watch any
groups of doves flying by.  Yesterday I counted about 100 doves migrating by
and today the number was closer to 150.

John Pogacnik
4765 Lockwood Road
Perry, OH 44081
(440) 259-2751

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