Skua id.

[phil baber]

100 % Pom!

[phil baber]

Originally Posted by MIKE THROWER

A good mate sent me these not to good photos taken yesterday at sea from a ferry. What would you tell him it was???? AND WHY?

A more extensive reply, which i think is needed.
On Pom the dark cap extends below the gape line. This can be seen well on this bird. On Arctic it stops at the gape line.
Pom has a much more well-defined breast band. An appreciably darker ventral area. A fuller bellied heavier appearance.
As the bird in this photo demonstrates, it is like an Arctic on steroids. Between Common and Herring Gull in size.
The light blue dark tipped bill is obvious in these photos. This is more pronounced on Pom than Arctic, and can be apparent at ranges up to 300M as a distinct feature.
Don't let the lack of "spoons" fool you.
These are great photos of an post-breeding adult Pomarine Skua!

[clydebirder]

Everybody seems to be goin for Pom but I don't think it is. I believe its an Arctic Skua, the primary coverts don't apear to have the pale bases giving the double wing flash typical of Pomarine, the vent area is also too pale for Pomarine which has more extensive dark area reaching the lower belly of the bird, the body also doesn't look bulky enough and doesn't seem to have the bull knecked look typical of Pomarine as well as the breast band looking slightly paler than cap which wouldn't be obvious on a Pom

Let the beating begin

cheers, John

[phil baber]

To reiterate on my above post...

The dark cap solidly surrounds the gape/bill base.
This is a distinctive Pom feature. An Arctic would never show this.
Feel free to tick it as a Pom. No worries!

[SandMartin]

I think its a adult Pomarine Skua the pale form

[clydebirder]

Originally Posted by phil baber

A more extensive reply, which i think is needed.
On Pom the dark cap extends below the gape line. This can be seen well on this bird. On Arctic it stops at the gape line.
Pom has a much more well-defined breast band. An appreciably darker ventral area. A fuller bellied heavier appearance.
As the bird in this photo demonstrates, it is like an Arctic on steroids. Between Common and Herring Gull in size.
The light blue dark tipped bill is obvious in these photos. This is more pronounced on Pom than Arctic, and can be apparent at ranges up to 300M as a distinct feature.
Don't let the lack of "spoons" fool you.
These are great photos of an post-breeding adult Pomarine Skua!

This bird doesn't have an appreciably darker ventral area, that's straight out of a book

I've attached a post breeding plumaged Pomarine, note the extent of the dark area at the vent (and most adults are darker than this) and compare it to original images, also note the bull necked and full chested look typical of Pomarine.
I've also attached an Arctic Skua image of a bird similar to the bird in the original images.

cheers, John