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Pomarine Skua - Polarjo - Stercorarius pomarinus

Bredstjärtad Labb - Mellemkjove - Leveäpyrstökihu - Labbe pomarin - Spatelraubmöwe - Págalo Pomarino   

Pomarine Skuao pi
17 May 2008, NNW of Shetlands



Pomarine Skua

17 May 2008, NNW of Shetlands





Dark phase Pomarine skua
Dark phase bird, 17 May 2008, NNW of Shetlands
Note how slender this bird appears compared to the above pictures.
Pictures taken using a hand-held 400mm telephoto lens

Dark phase Pomarine Skua
Dark phase Pomarine Skua, Shtokman Field, Barent's Sea, September 2010




Pomarine skua are probably my favourite species of bird - seeing flocks of adults heading north in the spring looking their best is one of the best seawatching experiences ever.  Seeing them grab Kittiwakes and drown them in the sea duing an autumn storm is also pretty impressive.


Pomarine Skua attacking Glaucous Gull
Pomarine Skua attacking adult Glaucous Gull, Shtokman Field, Barent's Sea, October 2010

This is a species I have seen quite a lot of whilst at work in the northern North Sea and in the Barent's Sea - usually in the spring as they head towards their breeding grounds. I had the privelage of seeing large numbers of these birds feeding and migrating through the Barent's Sea whilst working on the Shtokman Field in late September and October 2010 - a truly fantastic experience.

Pomarine Skua at Skogsøy, SW Norway

This book is full of information and ID tips on skuas:


Pomarine Skua
Pomarine Skua, Shtokman Field, Barent's Sea, September 2010

Pomarine Skua attacking Kittiwake
Pomarine Skua attacking Black-legged Kittiwake, Shtokman Field, Barent's Sea, September 2010



Below: spring is tradionally the most reliable time to see Poms in Øygarden. This confiding individual turned up among gulls in early October 2014

Pomarine Skua, Rong, Øygarden

Pomarine Skua, Rong, Øygarden

Pomarine Skua, Rong, Øygarden




Pomarine Skua, Rong, Øygarden





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