Tuesday 26 June 2012

Great Skua

It's not unusual these days for me to see a Great Skua from the house but they are usually far too far away or far too high up for me to capture.  However recently I got a bit lucky.  (Can one get a 'bit' lucky?  Is not luck an absolute?)   I saw one circling high above and managed to point the camera in the correct place at just the correct moment with just the correct exposure.  The result was about as good as it gets for me with that particular bird:


19 comments:

  1. And against such a perfect backdrop, too!

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    1. Thanks Meike. That really counts as one of my luckiest shots.

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  2. Gorgeous picture. And lovely blue sky. I am pretty poor at recognising birds, so will take your word for it that this is a great skue.( That's a bird, in fact, that I have never even HEARD of!)

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  3. Oh, dear, my eyes. I HAVE heard of the skua - though never a Great one! :)

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    1. Up here in the Hebrides they are also known as Bonxies.

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  4. I first 'met' skuas when I was researching predators of Godwits while they are in Alaska. I even included one in one of my paintings (that sold two weekends ago). But I've never seen one for real. Lovely capture.

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    1. Yes, Katherine, they are one of the least pleasant of birds. I saw one actually trying to bully a Black Backed Gull into giving up it's dinner a few days ago. I have to say that I had no sympathy. I've see a B B Gull take the eyes out of a new-born lamb so that it will die and the gull can eat it. Nature can be exceedingly unpleasant at times.

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  5. nice picture. Let me know if you capture any colour ringed great skuas.

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  6. Had to use Wikipedia as dictionary again for this one. It's a wonderful photo.

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  7. Love the wing markings! Very lucky shot!

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  8. I continue to learn from your photos. nice capture!

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    1. It's the learning that I so enjoy in blogs, Norma.

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  9. Lovely photo. Looks like a lovely bird, too.

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    1. Actually, Pauline, I think it's one of the least pleasant birds I know. Having said that it's fascinating and watching one is compulsive.

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  10. The only thing you can away from life is the love you have given away. Totally stole that from the film, It's A Wonderful Life.

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