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:


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19 comments:

  1. Librarian26 June 2012 at 07:57

    And against such a perfect backdrop, too!

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    1. Graham Edwards30 June 2012 at 18:08

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

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  2. Jenny Woolf26 June 2012 at 10:18

    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. Jenny Woolf26 June 2012 at 10:19

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

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    1. Graham Edwards30 June 2012 at 18:10

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

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  4. Kate26 June 2012 at 11:48

    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. Graham Edwards30 June 2012 at 18:13

      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. Sjurdur Hammer26 June 2012 at 11:57

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

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  6. DawnTreader26 June 2012 at 21:05

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

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  7. shabby girl26 June 2012 at 22:20

    Love the wing markings! Very lucky shot!

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  8. Scrappy Grams28 June 2012 at 03:01

    I continue to learn from your photos. nice capture!

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    1. Graham Edwards30 June 2012 at 18:17

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

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  9. Pauline29 June 2012 at 01:57

    Lovely photo. Looks like a lovely bird, too.

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    1. Graham Edwards30 June 2012 at 18:19

      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. Kay G.3 April 2018 at 13:13

    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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