Which Skua species, Hokkaido Japan? (1 Viewer)

HokkaidoStu

occasional moderator

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• Sep 29, 2013

• #1

I saw this skua pursuing the Common Terns which pass through at this time of year. It came close enough inshore for me to fire off some record shots, these are very heavy crops.

The same 3 smaller species one sees in Europe/North America (Pomarine, Arctic and Long tailed) occur in the north Pacific too.

It's an Arctic right? It looks too small for a Pomarine but not dainty enough for a Long Tailed.

I'm crap at skua ID, any help confirming this ID would be much appreciated.

 

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Eugene Archer

Well-known member

• Sep 29, 2013

• #2

Stu, this bird looks to have all the jizz and plumage characters of a Long-tailed; blunt tipped central tail feathers, bill 50:50 grey and black(ish), undertail coverts barred evenly black and white, pale primary shafts on only outer 2, slender shape, etc.

 

HokkaidoStu

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• Sep 29, 2013

• #3

Eugene Archer said:

Stu, this bird looks to have all the jizz and plumage characters of a Long-tailed; blunt tipped central tail feathers, bill 50:50 grey and black(ish), undertail coverts barred evenly black and white, pale primary shafts on only outer 2, slender shape, etc.

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Hi Eugene, thanks for the reply..........actually when I saw it I thought Long Tailed but when I looked on the PC I thought Arctic...............

Long Tailed would be a lifer.

 

lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 29, 2013

• #4

Hi Stu

Well your right in it definitely not being a Pom.

I can see where you got Arctic from as it doesn't look overly dainty, but barred undertail , barred axillaries and only 2 white outer primaries, as well as the pale nape and blunt-tipped tail all say Long-tailed.

Cracking shots!!

Wish the dark-phase juvvy I saw recently came that close!!

Sean

 

lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 29, 2013

• #5

Oops Eugene beat me to it. Lifer it is

 

HokkaidoStu

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• Sep 29, 2013

• #6

Thanks Sean, a nice find then!

 

lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 29, 2013

• #7

HokkaidoStu said:

Thanks Sean, a nice find then!

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Yes very nice. Not sure I ever saw a land-based Long-tailed in Japan, but had several from ferries .

Made me revisit some juvvy skuas I've photographed.

The dual coloured bill I think is a bit of a misleading ID feature as I've seen it on Pom & Arctic too.

Cheers

Sean

 

lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #8

This particular bird had me perplexed at first, two years ago at my local patch, showing Arctic & Long-tailed aren't always easy even relatively close-up.

See what you think .

Sean

 

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lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #9

another shot..

 

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lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #10

and another..

 

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lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #11

last one

 

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phil baber

Clipped Wing

• Sep 30, 2013

• #12

I'm thinking 2 CYR Arctic on this bird. It seems to tick quite a few of my ID boxes. But I could be right, or wrong...

ps Am referring to 2nd series of photos. I agree the 1st bird is a juv LTS...

 

Last edited: Sep 30, 2013

HokkaidoStu

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• Sep 30, 2013

• #13

lostinjapan said:

Th

See what you think .

Click to expand...

It confirms what I hinted at in my original post...........all skuas look the same.

 

lostinjapan

Well-known member

• Sep 30, 2013

• #14

HokkaidoStu said:

It confirms what I hinted at in my original post...........all skuas look the same.

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Exactly Stu . Phil your right tos indeed an Arctic Skua, just wanted to show theycan have slim bicolored bill and barring on undertail and axillaries but never as pronounced as LT Skua, as well as little white in primaries.. but still lots of other subtle differences from LT Skua.

Cheers

Sean