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Who had this feather ?

*Astrantia**Astrantia* Posts: 307
in Wildlife gardening

I saw this bright blue feather yesterday while walking along, it was in the grass & at first I thought it was a dead dragonfly it was so bright. The picture doesn’t do it justice and it got damaged in my pocket on the way home sadly. It’s only tiny less than the length of my little finger. Is it a Jay? I haven’t seen any in the area?
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Posts

  • LG_LG_ Posts: 4,360
    My guess is a jay.
    'If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.'
    - Cicero
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    They aren't present here where I am either, not just further north. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Balgay.HillBalgay.Hill Posts: 1,089
    One flew over my garden last week here in Dundee. First one i've seen over my garden.
    Sunny Dundee
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    We have them here,  they’re considered pests and the farmers are allowed to shoot them as well as doves and pigeons. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Lyn said:
    We have them here,  they’re considered pests and the farmers are allowed to shoot them as well as doves and pigeons. 
    I'm not 100% on the details but I think Jays can now only be killed if it's required to protect rare breeding species and even then a detailed justification needs to be given. Wild Justice have been doing a lot of work to get the shooting licences updated to make sure only necessary culling can be carried out and a lot of it was found to be unjustified.

    Featherbase is a great resource for learning about feathers. It lays out the whole set of feathers from a bird so you can match yours to where it fits on a wing etc.

    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Yes @wild edges. New rules, Jays GL40 on this chart in England.
    https://www.fieldsportschannel.tv/generallicences/
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • CrankyYankeeCrankyYankee Posts: 504
    That looks like it could have come from one of our common Blue Jays.  :)
    It's always amazing to me how species can have similar physical traits even though they're continents apart.

    New England, USA
    Metacomet soil with hints of Woodbridge and Pillsbury
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Very similar @CrankyYankee ,  ours have more pink on them.  Yours is best. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • SalixGoldSalixGold Posts: 450
    edited July 2023
    I think all birds are now protected in the UK to some degree. Some you can shoot with a license, in certain seasons.


    "all wild birds are protected by law"



  • CrankyYankeeCrankyYankee Posts: 504
    Lyn said:
    Very similar @CrankyYankee ,  ours have more pink on them.  Yours is best. 

    I like yours, to be honest!  And most people here consider Blue Jays to be pests, too.  They are the bullies of the bird feeders, but I enjoy them.  I tend to take the side of the more maligned birds, anyway. ;)
    New England, USA
    Metacomet soil with hints of Woodbridge and Pillsbury
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