Sunday 29 September 2019

Great Skua blows into Bartley

Great Skua taking off
Great Skua sat on water off the dam side
Flight shots are very difficult with my camera
And again.........
Great Skua chasing the local gulls

A text on Friday evening from Terry Hinnet saying he had found a Great Skua on Bartley Reservoir changed my plans from a morning at the pits.

With positive news reported early, I made the fifteen mile drive north with Chris Lane for company.  This juvenile Great Skua was sitting on the water about 50 metres off the dam when we arrived which was pleasing enough. Over the next hour this absolute brute of a bird chased & harrassed the local gulls forcing them to drop their own food just to shake off the attention. 

At times the Skua flew seriously close to the dam wall giving us some amazing views. It was interesting to see a bird like this in a habitat away from the sea. It's wing pattern was striking. 

This was my first inland Skua, lets hope I might get another with this bad weather set to continue.

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