Roy's Arctic Skua

Edmund Mackrill · **Posted:** Thu Jul 28, 2011 4:27 pm

Roy - apart from the tail that skua looks like a Pom to me. Heavy build, broad wings, broad breast band, extensive cap, white primary shafts, heavy bill, dark vent and flanks ( moulting ?). I know that Poms rarley loose their 'spoons' but doesn't look right for Arctic.
Anybody else have an opinion?

Roy Harvey · **Joined:** Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:23 pm **Posts:** 956

Thanks for comments Ed. I have seen very few Skua's and would be delighted if this turned out to be a Pom.

Roy

Roy Harvey · **Joined:** Thu Dec 30, 2004 10:23 pm **Posts:** 956

Ed, you are quite correct, it is a Pomarine Skua. I was thrown by the fact that it did not have the 'spoons' on the tail. I have discussed this with Graham and he thinks that the bird has not yet reached full maturity, rather than have moulted its spoons, something which would not happen with a full adult until November at the earliest.

Regards,
Roy

Dean Eades · **Posted:** Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:53 pm

Great book

Edmund Mackrill · **Posted:** Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:12 am

That's good Roy - Not many flight shots of Poms from the Lincs coast. And whilst you were photographing you would probably not have been paying proper attention to it's general jizz and the fact that it dwarfed the Sandwich Tern and then it becomes much harder to ID from a still image. I don't have Klaus's book, didn't even know about it, but will be buying a copy. What's your commission Dean!?

Graham Catley · **Joined:** Tue Dec 28, 2004 11:20 pm **Posts:** 1667

is that the full copy Deano or the one with pages 149-166 missing :oops:

Excellent book Ed £27 on Amazon shows its still holding its price 11 years after publication

Kev Wilson · **Posted:** Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:05 pm

Ed

You should ask Klauss for a good discount - several of the Pom skua photos are yours !!

Kev

The Lincolnshire Bird Club

Roy's Arctic Skua

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