An exceptional inshore movement of Great and Arctic Skuas off southeast England in spring 2012

摘要

Small numbers of Great Skuas Stercorarius skua and Arctic Skuas S. parasiticus are seen regularly off southeast England in spring, as part of their northward pre-breeding migration. Although most birds pass beyond the range of land-based observers, counts of up to several tens per day can be made in inclement weather with strong onshore winds (from southeast to southwest). Peak counts are usually made between mid to late April (e.g. Newton et al. 2010), from prominent headlands such as Beachy Head (Sussex) andDungeness (Kent) (fig. 1). These sites have a long history of intensive spring seabird observations, typically stretching back several decades.