Feather identification please :)

[veggiechicken]

There always seem to be feathers on the ground under a big ash tree but today I found some new ones. I'm guessing its buzzard and magpie, perhaps had a squabble and each lost some feathers. There are a lot of soft fluffy white feathers tipped with brown - so is this a young buzzard?

Please reassure me that they're not from an owl

[mothhawk]

I think you're probably right. Definitely magpie, most probably buzzard, 'cos they have that striped yet "smudged" colouring. I think owls would be just striped, without the smudging. they must have had a fair old go at each other!

[poly]

I'd have thought a Buzzard too, by those stripes. The fluffy ones perhaps from the chest/underside? I did wonder at first with the fluffy feathers if it might have been a barn owl, but they have wider bars/stripes with a more gingery tinge.

[nick the grief]

Buzzards usually scavenge, as you're in south wales it could be something like a Goshawk or Sparrowhawk - the females of both are brown barred and this looks like it's plucking post so if you keep an eye out you may get to see what it is.

[veggiechicken]

I often see buzzards here and have seen them perched in the trees in the garden - a few days ago in fact. Sparrowhawks come through too.
I've never heard of a plucking post before but that would make sense - given the amount of feathers there.
Would the long, narrow, pale feathers also be from a buzzard/ sparrowhawk or from one of its victims - pigeon maybe?

[veggiechicken]

Its a Plucking Post!!

Thank you Nick
Yesterday, I'd never heard of a plucking post - today I've seen one - and its in my garden (in Cardiff) (NB best not to say plucking post in a hurry )
Sorry the photos are not very clear but the light and the angle were difficult this morning. There are still fluffy feathers on the branch, which is the lower of the horizontal branches about 20-25' up in the ash tree - right over my picnic table

[lottie dolly]

You are one off the chosen ones ,practice saying pluck slowly,pronouncing the letters well,should help,do this with hands cupped behind your ears,hear the difference,something singers do,

[veggiechicken]

Its still sounds like something norty, Lottie

[lottie dolly]

practice,practice practice,unless you want to be naughty

[marchogaeth]

At least it's not a plucking fence post!

[nick the grief]

Thank you Nick
Yesterday, I'd never heard of a plucking post - today I've seen one - and its in my garden (in Cardiff)(NB best not to say plucking post in a hurry)
Sorry the photos are not very clear but the light and the angle were difficult this morning. There are still fluffy feathers on the branch, which is the lower of the horizontal branches about 20-25' up in the ash tree - right over my picnic table

You're welcome VC.

as to what it was that made the plucking mess ...

Female Goshawk
http://www.henfoldbirdsofprey.co.uk/...wk_in_snow.jpg

Female Sparrowhawk
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oAhlCXJR_c...rowhawk-1s.JPG

I still favour the first option as they are bigger birds and it's taking out Magpies (no mean feat) which makes very plucking jammy

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Nick I've been chatting to my neighbour (he used to have a Harris hawk) and doves - but the doves have left home because of - he reckons - a sparrowhawk that he has seen in our shared trees. I showed him the perch and he thought that a sparrowhawk wouldn't have been able to catch and carry a pigeon that far. He also thought that the pale feathers with brown markings would have been one of the crosses between his doves and the local pigeons.
I haven't heard of any goshawks being seen around here and I think they are quite uncommon. The buzzards, on the other hand, started to build a nest in a tree alongside the road opposite the house, a few years back
No more feathers yet but I'm intrigued. I can see the perch without going far into the garden, so everytime I'm out there, I'm on the lookout for something in the tree.

[veggiechicken]

Just an update No more plucking but I found this little calling card this morning - photographed alongside the larger feather I found earlier. its so fluffy I can't stop playing with it