Juvenile Long-tailed Skua. East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire 22nd September 2007
A great opportunity to see this uncommon bird at close range. On Friday I was due to pick up my wife from East Midlands airport. A stop-over in Birmingham had me on site next day at 7:30 a.m. I noticed that there was visible migration overhead. This area was clearly in a migration path. Three yellow wagtails, 4 meadow pipits and 50 swallows were amongst the passage noted. This area was next to the River Trent. The Long-tailed skua had probably ended up here by this path.
Juvenile skuas are not easy to identify especially when the birds are only usually seen at distance out to sea. After examing photos of this bird and the juvenile Arctic Skua I saw at Chew Valley Lake I could see that the bill shapes were different. As for the rest I would recommend field experience (or ask an expert).
