South Polar Skua or Dark Phase Pomarine Jaeger

This is the leader's report from the Sept 13, 1997 BBC Whale Watch/Pelagic trip on the Newburyport Whale Watch boat. Read this report carefully and then study the photographs. Send in your comments and/or photographs of this bird. Webmaster Comments received will be added to the file.

Birds Seen

1. South Polar Skua 1
2. Albino Cormorant 1
3. Pomerine Jaeger 1
4. Cory's Shearwater 15
5. Greater Shearwater 200
6. Manx Shearwater 2
7. Northern Gannet 30
8. Common Tern 100
9. Forster's Tern 2
10. Red-necked Phalarope 6
11. Manx Shearwater 2
12. Common Loon 2
13. Bonapart's Gull 10
14. Great Black-backed Gull 50
15. Herring Gull 10
16. Prairie Warbler 1

Notables NOT seen Wilson's Storm-Petrel,Sooty Shearwater, Leach's Storm-Petrel.

Nine BBC members departed at 10 AM in a light fog. There were some goodies in the river. We were surprised to see an albino Cormorant assumed to be a Double Crested Cormorant on the breakwater along Salisbury Beach. An Osprey was seen even before we left the dock. Common Terns, Forster's Tern and Bonapart's Gulls were also seen in the river. The seas were relatively calm after we passed the mouth of the Merrimack River. The air temperature was quite warm. Scott Mercer, naturalist , has been reporting large numbers of birds in the area between the Merrimack River and Cape Ann. They have been catching tuna in this area and there were many fishing boats. A large Yellow-fin Tuna was on the dock when we returned. We had the usual gulls, Common Terns, Cory's and Greater Shearwaters, Northern Gannets. After we left the area off Cape Ann the birds fell off until we reached a group of Humpback Whales. We had a great whale experience and saw deep diving and bubble feeding. In the vicinity of the whales we had more Cory's and Greater Shearwaters, 2 Manx Shearwaters, 4 Red-necked Phalaropes,Common Terns.

The Skua (identified and reported as a South Polar Skua) was first spotted by those at the front of the boat sitting on the water. It was photographed at this point and the photograph will be sent to Mass Audubon for Wayne and Simon to study. I was at the back of the boat and did not see the bird on the water. I saw a very dark bird, flying piratically (I may have invented a word here). I was impressed with the skua/jaeger shaped tail.The underparts were all dark. There was no barring or other light areas under the body,tail or wings. The wings had the prominent white wing flash. I saw the wing flash with the bird about 200 yards from the boat. When the bird flew close to the boat, the head and upper body and wings appeared brown. Those who observed the bird on the water saw the lighter area behind the head. My general impression of the jizz was that the wings were shorter, thicker than those for a jaeger. The boat captain attempted to follow the bird for us and we had a good long look. I have not had many opportunities to study jaegers or skua on the wing. However given the number and experience of observers, the length of time in which the bird was seen and a yet undeveloped photograph to confirm or deny this identification, I reported this bird as a South Polar Skua to the BBC hotline. Later a second jaeger, identified as a Pomarine Jaeger was seen by myself and Cliff Cook. A Prairie Warbler landed on Joe Paluzzi's outstretched hand. It was last seen resting on a sailboat. We wish it good luck. Observers included: Doug Chickering, Cliff Cook, Jan Albert Kuivenhoven, Joe Paluzzi, Emmalee Tarry.

All three of these photographs were taken by Jan Albert Kuivenhoven and used with his permission. They remain the property of the photographer.

Some Responses From: pguris@moneynet.com I looked at the picture of the jaeger/skua and thought I'd add my 2 cents. In a nutshell, this bird looks like a dark sub-adult Pomarine Jaeger to me. I know that ID from photos like this can be hard, I'm not particularly experienced at it, and these photos are certainly not exactly what I'd want, but I'm pretty sure on this one. Here are some reasons: SHAPE: - The head and bill look much too small for a skua. - The neck looks longer than it should. - The bird appears to be very long and slender. PLUMAGE: - The bird has a dark cap and malar area. This doesn't appear to be an affect caused by some pale nape hackles. A dark South Polar should have a relatively evenly dark head or perhaps some darker coloration on the face. A light one shouldn't have a distinct dark cap and malar. Sometimes they show dark on the head, but I wouldn't expect this pattern. The pattern of the darkness is a pretty indication that this is a jaeger. - The pale coloration isn't restricted to the nape. Instead, it appears to go right around the throat. A dark South Polar should have evenly dark neck and underparts. A light South Polar should have evenly medium to light gray underparts. I've never seen one with a pale neck contrasting with darker underparts like this bird appears to have. - The white at the base of the primaries looks too restricted for South Polar. This is much more typical of a sub-adult jaeger. I'd love to see the underwing and tail shape on this bird. Though didn't mention central tail feathers, but lack of obvious extensions does not rule out Pomarine Jaeger. Actually, the darkest bird we had this past Saturday had no discernable extension of the tail feathers. The amount of white in the upper wing can be quite obvious, particularly in sub-adults. If you studied some of the birds we had on Saturday you would have seen several with obvious white above. This appears to be a dark bird, so the lack of barring is not a problem. -Paul From: mr.oizo3@voila.fr (mr.oizo3@voila.fr) hello Concerning the identification of the jaeger, I'd think the bird is a typical middle skua (Pomarine / Arctic). Indeed, the bill is not strong and seems to be long. Wings are not large but sharp. The white coma on the primaries is not so "flashy" than the Great skua. In flight, we can noticed the Pomarine structure and the bicolourous legged Sorry for my poor english From Gerard. Phillips New York State Avian Records Committee member. My immediate impression of the mystery bird is that it is a Jaeger. It is relatively light in structure and build overall. The body isn't chunky or stocky enough for a Skua -the rear of the bird plus head and neck impart an relatively elegant appearance. The size in direct comparison to the Greater Shearwaters appears to be only slightly larger. A Skua would look considerably larger/bulkier than the bird in question in this regard. The dark cap is totally wrong for a South Polar Skua and should alone rule out that species. Great skua can show a weak cap but such overall dark uniform-looking plumage is wrong for that species also. Chilean Skua apparently can show a marked, capped appearance and could also have a bicolored bill. Out of all the Skuas this species probably could come closest to looking like the mystery bird? But before I'd go barking up that tree any further, what about Pomarine Jaeger? Basically everything about this bird fits a Pomarine Jaeger! The overall size and structure suits Pomarine well. The somewhat heavy bicolored bill is a good feature for Pom. (Note, although the bill is blur- the structure and size doesn't seem thick/heavy enough for a Skua species- but this admittedly is a subjective call). In the middle shot we can see that the black of the cap extends down below the bill onto the face. Of the three Jeager species, Pomarine usually has the most obvious dark on the malar region like the mystery bird. The legs are bright-gray with dark 'knee' and 'feet', indicative of a non-adult bird. I would guess this perhaps is a first winter/ first summer dark-intermediate type (although I'm really guessing at the age). It clearly has an extensive white upper-wing flash in flight for a Jaeger. On such a dark plumages bird this would imparted a menacing appearance! However, extensive flashes are not unheard of in all three Jeagers, Parasitic Jaeger in particular. Long-tailed Jaeger very rarely shows an upper-wing flash as bright as this bird's when the wing is fully spread (there are three, maybe four known records only). Based on size, plumage etc. I'm certain this is in fact a Pomarine Jaeger. ______________________________________________ Gerard Phillips. CATO, NY. mailto:gphillips@a-znet.com George Armistead's comments: That bird looks to me to pretty clearly be a Pom. I've been burned by photo illusion before though. Still, this bird's bill looks too petite and the rear end appears too attenuated w/ longish wings. The last photo I feel almost seems to show somee dusky barring underneath but the photos aren't that good to be certain. Bird looks too slender overall and small-headed and the last photo shows that splotchy bluish-grey leg color that Poms sometimes have when their younger. In my opinion (apologies for brevity), this is definitely a Pomarine Jaeger. The head and bill give it away. Both the head and bill are relatively thin and the neck seems a little long and narrow for a skua. If it were a skua, the head and bill would appear much heavier and the neck would be "thicker". Also, the bird is not dwarfing the Greater Shearwaters in any of the photos as a skua would do. Finally, in photo three, the wingtips appear pointed rather than rounded which leans toward a jaeger rather than a Great or South Polar Skua. Jim Danzenbaker Falcon's Eye Guiding jim@falconseye.com 408-264-7582 408-956-4826 408-956-1254 (fax)