Ed Drewitt

Naturalist/learning advisor. Forest of Dean wildlife safaris, birdsong, foraging, feathers & skulls. Author of Urban Peregrines & Raptor Prey Remains. He/him.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

Something I am very proud of - my new book Bird Pellets is out now! It showcases pellets from eagles to robins and how to identify their contents in detail, especially mammal skulls. Written in an accessible way so it works for schools, families and researchers alike!

[nhbsBooks @nhbsBooks]

Out now – Bird Pellets: A Complete Photographic Guide https://t.co/5I3wAF46ZB includes owls, hawks, falcons, corvids, waders, and garden birds. @eddrewitt @pelagicpublish @_BTO @RSPBScience @Natures_Voice @BirdwatchExtra @BirdWatchingMag #birds #ornithology

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@MartinHGames Fab aren't they - the boys love seeing what we have caught in the trap before school (we do it here and there when the night looks good them)

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@GlosBirds A honey buzzard seen in Forest of Dean recently; worth keeping eyes out for them as they are around and there have been other sightings - Gloucestershire Raptor Monitoring Group keen to hear of any other sightings to track/monitor their whereabouts.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@doggie3132 @beachlifeinhell @SheffPeregrines It's got pink leg so I would opt for greenfinch.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@robinmmorrison Yes, the latter stages have certainly been munched by a mammal as you can see some feathers have been snipped at tips. Could have been killed by a bird predator and then scavanged or killed by the mammal.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@Mortier_Maarten Yes, I would say skylark. It has probably just got stained from sitting in wet muddy fields.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@jfmto Hi John Many thanks. This is a primary feather from a pheasant; it has the really long emarginations and notches in its feathers that all help with its strong, sudden flights away from predators.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

I'll be doing my annual bird ID course for the @AvonGorgeDowns Wildlife Project later this month (this will be my 22nd year of doing it!!)

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@AdrianBell1889 @doggie3132 @wendy_bartter @SheffPeregrines Ah thank you. Yes, it is not uncommon - especially in a healthy/increasing population - for a young bird (usually male) from the year before to help their parents the following breeding season to look after the young. Be interesting to see if it sticks around.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@lee00barber @Au_Erithacus That's brilliant news, congratulations Aurora!

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@PlushieTumRs @BayHoles @PPeregrines @DorsetBirdClub @harbourbirds They always look very different when dead and up close and some of these features you notice more in the field go out the window; it it definitely knot or dunlin. Were there any feathers with it?

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@PlushieTumRs @BayHoles @PPeregrines @DorsetBirdClub @harbourbirds You're right. Taking a closer look I think it's dunlin.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@PlushieTumRs @BayHoles @PPeregrines @DorsetBirdClub @harbourbirds I'm pretty sure it is knot; too large for dunlin.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@lynda_lambert @WildOnTheRoad @DorsetBirdClub It is likely several birds are involved here as the smaller black and white feathers are from something else and the longer green, glossy feathers look more chicken/turkey like. The feathers have been snipped off by a mammal predator.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@lynda_lambert @WildOnTheRoad @DorsetBirdClub This is from a shelduck-type duck - the closest I can match through featherbase is paradise shelduck. This would no doubt be someone's duck that they had in an aviary (as the species come from New Zealand). https://t.co/rLCCjF0CUi

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@BayHoles @DorsetStudy Ah this one is a woodcock

[Sophie Dorman @sophiedorman33]

Please keep an eye out for colour marked Redshanks. Any sightings are greatly appreciated

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@BayHoles @PPeregrines @DorsetStudy @harbourbirds @DorsetBirdClub @DorsetWildlife @SightingDOR Yes, golden plover.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@BenhamadaRuth Yes all GP - that one is a tail feather.

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@BayHoles Yes woodcock; leg from snipe and grey feathers collared dove

[Ed Drewitt @eddrewitt]

@doggie3132 @molls11390696 Yes woodcock from a peregrine kill