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Topic: Skua Identification (Read 1467 times) |
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Yat-tung YU
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Skua Identification
« on: Apr 10th, 2006, 10:03pm » |
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We could encounter some skuas in recent seabird surveys. Skua identification could be challenging but interesting. Now, I would like to share some of my recent skua pictures and let us practise it here without getting sea-sick!
Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3
Picture 4
Picture 5
Picture 6
Picture 7
Picture 8
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pippenho
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #1 on: Apr 11th, 2006, 11:06pm » |
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 等我黎亂估一通 
1=長 long-tailed
2=中 Pomarine
3=長 long-tailed
4=中 Pomarine
5=中 Pomarine
6= 短 Arctic
7= 短 Arctic
8= 短 Arctic
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Falcon
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be like a falcon.....
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #2 on: Apr 11th, 2006, 11:46pm » |
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hm...let me guess
1=long tail
2=pomarine?? 
3=long tail
4=long tail
5=arctic
6=arctic
7=arctic
8=long tail
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努力不一定會成功，但不努力一定不會成功!
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macca
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #3 on: Apr 12th, 2006, 7:26pm » |
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Here's my opinion and why:
1/. Long-tailed Skua- no wing flashes, very slim wings, no sharp division on the colour of the underparts. Note also the characteristic shape of the birds underparts with the deep, bulging chest and slimmer belly.
2/. Arctic- rather evenly (flattish) shaped underparts (lacking the deep barrel chested appearance of Pomerine and compare with long-tailed photos), bill not heavy enough for Pomarine, broader wings than Long-tailed (rather heavily marked breast band though)
3/. Long-tailed Skua- same reasons as number 1
4/. Long-tailed Skua- long tail streamers! also same reasons as 1 & 3
5/. Arctic- same bird as number 2 (with heavliy marked breast band)? Little tail streamers, not spoons!
6/. Arctic- paler breast band on this individual, note shape of underparts.
7/. Arctic- same bird as number 6?
8/. Long-tailed- classic long range identification features of distinctive underpart shape with deep, bulging breast and slimmer belly and narrow, tern like wings. Note the width of the base of the wings is narrower than the width from the rear of the wing to the tip of the tail (not including any streamers), which is the opposite in Arctic Tern (compare photos).
Cheers,
Ian
Ian McKerchar, UK (soon to be visiting HK this Friday Friday )
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Bob Thompson
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #4 on: Apr 12th, 2006, 7:31pm » |
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Ian McKerchar, UK (soon to be visiting HK this Friday Friday )
Ian,
Keep your fingers crossed Mai Po maybe open for Easter
PS Just announced Mai Po will open tomorrow
http://app2.rthk.org.hk/pda/news/content.php?id=301798
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| « Last Edit: Apr 12th, 2006, 7:34pm by Bob Thompson » |
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macca
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #5 on: Apr 12th, 2006, 7:34pm » |
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Cheers Bob,
fingers, legs, eyes!!!!!!!!!
Anyway I can find out whilst I'm there? Is ringing Mai Po the best option.
Cheers, Ian
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macca
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #7 on: Apr 12th, 2006, 7:40pm » |
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Didn't expect that! Fantastic.
Mai Po here we come,
Ian
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Fred
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #8 on: Apr 12th, 2006, 10:55pm » |
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Wow!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Easter present to all of us!!!!!!!
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Tony
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #9 on: Apr 13th, 2006, 12:06am » |
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1長 Long-tailed
2中 Pomarine
3長 Long tailed
4長 Long tailed
5中 Pomarine
6短 artic
7短 artic
8長 Long tailed
??
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| « Last Edit: Apr 13th, 2006, 12:06am by Tony » |
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Yat-tung YU
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #10 on: Apr 14th, 2006, 9:51pm » |
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Thank you very much to your posts, especially to Ian and his excellent comments. Also, Ian gets 100% same as my 'answer'. Actually, Photo 1 to 7 are quite straightforward but I am also in 100% on photo 8. Again, thanks for Ian's useful note.
The photo below is another unsure one. I would like to see comments by everybody.
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| « Last Edit: Apr 14th, 2006, 9:52pm by Yat-tung YU » |
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Yat-tung YU
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #11 on: Apr 19th, 2006, 12:19am » |
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We saw one skua during the seabird survey on last Monday. However, it was not close and flew past very quick and so the identification of this bird was inconclusive. Please see the picture below and your comments on the identification are welcome.
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miket
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Re: Skua Identification
« Reply #12 on: Apr 19th, 2006, 6:49am » |
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The latest picture is, for me, fairly clearly an adult dark phase Arctic, on the basis of amount of white in the wing, general upper part coloration and tail shape.
The previous one seems a very straightforward Long-tailed - just two white shafted primaries and upperpart coloration contrast resulting in a narrow dark trailing edge. The point made by Macca about the bulging chest and slim belly also holds - as well as allowing separation from older adult male birders !
Mike Turnbull
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