Mourning Dove Tour of Europe

[Bobolink44]

Andreas Noeske posted this on a number of newsgroups just now. Never occured to me and maybe I am slow and this has been talked about elsewhere but looks like the same bird has gone from Ireland to Germany and now Denmark!

http://www.club300.de/test/dove.jpg

Doing a google search and Mourning Doves do seem to have slightly different dark markings on the wings from bird to bird so does look like it's the same bird. I guess maybe not all these nearctic passerine vagrants are on their last legs. Astonishing that Europe is so well covered that it got found so many times. Is it likely that the Dawlish Long-billed Murrelet was the same bird found in Romania 4 weeks later?

[Colin Key]

An experienced birder visiting the Algarve a few weeks ago reported to our local ringing station that he had seen a Mourning Dove at Ria de Alvor. I do not know if any photos were taken and I have been unable to find this birder's name, and although I spent a few days scanning through large numbers (several hundred) of Collared Doves I could find no trace of this bird.

Colin

[Graham Etherington]

...Is it likely that the Dawlish Long-billed Murrelet was the same bird found in Romania 4 weeks later?

No they were different birds.
Dawlish Bird:
http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20061111022509.jpg

Romania bird:
http://www.birding.hu/viewImage.do?id=8241&type=foto

Cheers,
Graham

[Josh Jones]

Makes you wonder about all these other US vagrants that reach Europe. Once they're here they just keep going and end up in all kinds of places.

Wonder where it wintered?!

[Alex Lees]

Andreas Noeske posted this on a number of newsgroups just now. Never occured to me and maybe I am slow and this has been talked about elsewhere but looks like the same bird has gone from Ireland to Germany and now Denmark!

http://www.club300.de/test/dove.jpg

Doing a google search and Mourning Doves do seem to have slightly different dark markings on the wings from bird to bird so does look like it's the same bird. I guess maybe not all these nearctic passerine vagrants are on their last legs. Astonishing that Europe is so well covered that it got found so many times. Is it likely that the Dawlish Long-billed Murrelet was the same bird found in Romania 4 weeks later?

Astonishing indeed, but regarding coverage I think this is the exception rather than the rule. MODOs are conspicuous charsimatic and confiding commensals which catch the eyes of even non-birders. Most yanks are much better at avoiding detection....

Alex