Earliest British record for Wilson's Storm Petrel.& More

Adult Pale Phase Arctic Skua

Adult Pale Phase Arctic Skua

Record Shot of Wilsons Petrel

2nd Summer Long-tailed Skua

2nd Summer Long-tailed Skua

2nd Summer Long-tailed Skua

2nd Summer Long-tailed Skua

2nd Summer Long-tailed Skua

Last night was a fantastic evening enjoyed by all,which  included the earliest British record for Wilson's Storm-petrel beating the last one (also off Scilly) by one day, a very showy pristine adult Arctic Skua, and two immature Long-tailed Skuas both with an interesting plumage aspect (see below). While the visiting birders were very excited by the Wilson's Storm-petrel, the Scilly birders, having notched up perhaps 500 Wilson's off Scilly already, were far more excited by the Long-tailed Skuas that are rather rare in Scillonian waters.

Lighter Long-tailed Skua

Identified by various structural characteristics including long tapering pair of central rectrices, shape of cap, greyish feathers in the upperwing-coverts and, of course, whitish shafts to the outermost two primaries visible beyond the greater primary coverts. Aged as second summer. Aged by adult-like head pattern, long pair of central rectrices, some barring on the uppertail-coverts, barring on flanks, and largely barred underwing-coverts and axillaries. This individual is relatively retarded with heavily barred underwings, though note the mainly plain underprimary coverts. Also note some contrasting grey upperwing-coverts (adult like).

Darker Long-tailed Skua

At first sight this bird looked like a near dark-morph adult Arctic Skua, appearing virtually all dark in the field with central rectrices similar in length to the longest in adult Arctic Skua. However, identified by various structural characteristics, shape of cap, greyish feathers in the upperwing-coverts, and whitish shafts to the outermost two primaries visible beyond the greater primary coverts. Aged as second summer. Aged by adult-like head pattern, medium-length of central pair of rectrices, some barring on the undertail-coverts, barring on flanks, and barring in smaller underwing-coverts. Notice the pale legs, though adult Long-taileds also show pale legs (unlike Pomarine and Arctic). This individual was probably a dark-morph juvenile earlier in its life, given the amount of dark on the underside of the body.