Pomarine Skua's relationships are not fully resolved; its
mitochondrial DNA is most similar to that of Great Skua but
from a morphological and behavioural perspective it is
closer to Arctic Skua. The most likely explanation is
extensive hybridization between the Greater and Lesser
Skua's which resulted in a hybrid population that eventually
evolved into a distinct species, the Pomarine Skua; or
alternatively between the Pomarine and one of the southern
hemisphere Skua, with the Great Skua being the hybrid
offspring and perhaps appearing as recently as the 15th
century. The term 'pomato-rhinos' refers to 'lid-nosed',
(the lid is the rim which develops over the base of the bill
in summer) and has been corrupted to the present day
Pomarine.
There have been around a hundred and fifty Pomarine Skua's seen
in S. Gloucestershire;
2012: (1)
One was seen heading up river off New Passage early morning
on April 30th;
2011: (c.6)
One probably this species was seen distantly from Severn
Beach early morning on May 8th; A dark morph was seen in
flight south from Severn Beach at 12:25 on May 11th; Two
pale morph birds were seen in flight north past Severn Beach
at 13:18 on May 22nd; An adult with full spoons was seen of
Severn Beach at 17:00 on September 6th; A juvenile was
watched for several hours off New Passage on October 18th.
Pomarine Skua off Severn Beach in May 2011. Paul Bowerman.
2010: (2)
Two pale morph birds with full spoons were seen from Severn
Beach at 07:55 on April 30th and were seen to drift high
south-west.
2009: (16)
A
dark morph with a full set of 'spoons' was seen off Severn
Beach at 06:50 on May 8th; Two (both pale morph) were seen
off Severn Beach in the evening on May 14th; Eleven were
seen off Severn Beach at 19:40 on May 15th, consisting of
ten pale morph and one dark morph; A pale morph was seen off
Northwick Warth at 13:10 on November 22nd; A pale morph sub
adult was noted off Severn Beach at 13:30 on November 25th
and on the 26th - 27th and nearby over Slimeroad Sands mid
estuary on the 29th; One was noted on November 24th in the
Oldbury Power Station area, unfortunately not specific
location is available.
Part of a flock of eleven Pomarine Skua's off Severn Beach.
May 2009. Paul Bowerman.
This pale morph Pomarine Skua delighted birders at Severn
Beach. November 2009. Paul Bowerman.
2007: (14)
On May 6th a pale morph adult with full spoons was seen off
Severn Beach mid morning before departing south-west; Nine,
including one dark morph were seen for most of the day off
Severn Beach on May 8th; On May 10th a pale morph was seen
from Severn Beach late morning and possibly the same bird
flew north-east past Severn Beach at 09:20 on May 11th; On
May 19th a pale morph was seen off Severn Beach in the
morning; On June 3rd a sub adult dark morph was seen off
Severn Beach at 09:35 and it or another was noted later in
the day flying north; An adult light morph with full
'spoons' lingered off New Passage at 13:15 on November 8th.
Pomarine Skua off Severn Beach. May 2007. Paul Bowerman.
Pomarine Skua off Severn Beach. May 2007. Gary Thoburn.
2006: (3)
Two adults flew north-east past Severn Beach at 10:05 on May
1st; On December 7th a pale morph was lingering off Severn
Beach between 08:00 and 10:10.
Pomarine Skua off Severn Beach. May 2006. Paul Bowerman.
2005: (3)
One was seen off Severn Beach on May 7th; An adult pale
morph was watched on October 25th off Severn Beach; A
juvenile was seen on November 4th off Severn Beach.
Pomarine Skua off Severn Beach. October 2005. Paul Bowerman.
2004: (54)
Three with full spoons were seen on April 4th off Severn
Beach; There were nine on April 19th off Severn Beach; Three
pale morph birds flew up river off Severn Beach on April
30th; One was seen on May 3rd off Severn Beach; Thirty-six
were present on May 4th off Severn Beach; One was seen off
Severn Beach on September 20th.
2001: (1)
One, an adult was observed on April 22nd off Severn Beach.
2000: (2)
A
1st summer was seen on May 27th off Severn Beach; A dark
morph was seen on September 6th off Severn Beach.
1998: (2)
On January 4th a 1st winter was seen heading inland at
Severn Beach; One seen on April 4th off Severn Beach was an
adult.
1997: (2)
On April 23rd a light morph was seen off Severn Beach; On
October 9th a light morph summer adult was seen off Severn
Beach.
1996: (23)
A
total of eighteen birds were observed on May 2nd off Severn
Beach, fifteen mostly light morph at 08:45 plus three light
morph at 18:45, two lingered into May 3rd one of which was a
light morph; One light morph was seen on June 3rd off Severn
Beach; One light morph was seen on June 6th off Severn
Beach; Two on November 3rd at Severn Beach consisted of a
dark morph juvenile and a light morph adult; One light morph
adult was noted on November 6th off Severn Beach.
1994: (1)
A
light morph sub-adult was seen on the water and was then
seen in flight heading south-west on August 20th off New
Passage.
1992: (1)
A
light morph was seen heading north-east on May 8th off New
Passage.
1991: (4)
A
light morph was noted off New Passage on April 5th; Three,
including two 'light phase' were found on April 27th off New
Passage.
1990: (4)
One seen on February 12th off Aust Warth was subsequently
seen at both New Passage and Severn Beach; Three on April
15th off New Passage were in two passes, one early in the
day and two at mid-day.
1989: (2)
On May 21st a single bird was seen off New Passage; On
December 24th one was watched at Aust Warth.
1988: (3)
A
light morph was found on September 28th off New Passage; One
was noted on October 6th off New Passage; One was present at
New Passage on October 8th.
1987: (3)
Two on June 6th off New Passage were both light morph were
seen heading north-east; One light morph on October 16th off
New Passage was watched heading south-west.
1986: (2)
A
1st winter was seen on January 19th off New Passage; One
seen on May 25th off New Passage was still present on May
26th.
1983: (3)
Single birds, both dark morph, were seen off New Passage on
October 16th and 17th. Observers noted they appeared less
bulky and slightly smaller than Great Skua, having a black
rather than brown head, neck and breast; and more
'barrel-chested than Arctic Skua. They also showed only a
small white patch at the base of the primaries, with white
feathers shafts radiating from it.
1887: (1)
Sometime in December one was picked up dead near Hawksbury
Upton.
1879: (1)
One was 'obtained' sometime in November at New Passage.