South Polar Skua

Stercorarius maccormicki Saunders, H, 1893 (0, 5)

Photo © Joe Pender - Celtic Sea, off St Mary’s, Isles of Scilly, juvenile, 5 July 2024

STATUS

Southern Oceans. Monotypic.

OVERVIEW

This first for Britain sat on the beach at West Bexington during the winter enabling quality photographs to be taken that twenty-five years later were sufficient to identify it to species once identification criteria was better known. The following two individuals were picked up and taken into care.

BBRC RECORDS

1). 1996 Dorset West Bexington, 2CY+, 27th January to 4th February, photo.

(R. Millington, Birding World 13 (8): 336-339, photos; Birding World 20 (8): 333, plate 20; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 94: 504; D. Newell, British Birds 101: 439-441; BOURC (2013), Ibis 156: 238; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 589; BOURC (2022), Ibis 164: 363-368).

2). 2001 Isles of Scilly Gugh Bar, St Agnes and St Mary's, 2CY+, picked-up, 7th October to 14th January 2002, taken into care on St Mary’s, photo.

(M. S. Scott, Birding World 15 (9): 383-386, plates 1-4; Birding World 15 (12): 515, photo; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 538; Birding World 20 (8): 333, plate 18; Flood, Hudson & Thomas, 2007: plate 65; S. C. Votier et al., Ibis 149: 619-621; D. Newell, British Birds 101: 439-441; N. A. J. Hudson and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 103: 592; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 589).

3). 2002 Gower Aberavon and Southgate, 2CY+, picked-up, 1st to 16th February, photo.

(S. Moon & D. Carrington, Birding World 15 (9): 387-389, plates 3 & 5; M. J. Rogers and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 95: 538; Birding World 20 (8): 333, plate 19; S. C. Votier et al., Ibis 149: 619-621; D. Newell, British Birds 101: 439-441; D. G. Carrington, Welsh Birds 7: 159-160, photo; C. Holt, P. French and the Rarities Committee, British Birds 114: 589).

4). 2023 Isles of Scilly Celtic Sea, short-range pelagic, c. 10 km S of St Mary’s, 31st July, photo.

(British Birds 116: plate 316; BBRC - Web-WIP-11-3-24).

5). 2023 Isles of Scilly Celtic Sea, short-range pelagic, 5 km SW of Bishop Rock, 25th August, photo.

(BBRC - Web-WIP-11-3-24).

P). 2023 Isles of Scilly Celtic Sea, short-range pelagic, 10 km N of St Martin’s, 30th September.