ML77305641
Contributor
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Media notes
One of Joe Guinn's photos. This photo matches one sent to Jon Dunn by Brian Sullivan of a bird photographed off North Carolina the last week of August. In both photos the birds exhibit the exact same wing molt of the inner primaries.
Observation details
This bird was initially called a distant jaeger when seen flying but Jon Dunn almost immediately started questioning why this bird wasn't a Catharacta Skua. We had the bird in view for at lest 20 minutes, both in the air and on the water. It was badly lit, but Joe Guinn got good enough photos that we could later safely say it to be a South Polar Skua. The bulk of the bird, and very dark coloration overall were immediately apparent. Wings were very broad-based, with large white primary flash both above and below. The nape and upper back was paler than the rest of the bird,and we never saw any indication of barring on the tail coverts. The bird was also seen the next day. Mike Todd's picture: http://www.pbase.com/mctodd/image/48508565 You can see some great in-flight photos by Joe Guinn on my South Polar Page: http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/pomarineskua
Technical information
- Dimensions
- 606 pixels x 414 pixels
- Original file size
- 17.32 KB