IMAGE OF THE MONTH

MAY 2016

Arctic Skua in a flap

On the north west coast of Scotland lies the beautiful Handa Island, owned by Scourie Estate and managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.  Each summer, nearly 100,000 seabirds breed here, including numbers of guillemots, razorbills, great skuas and some puffins. The island has dramatic cliffs which provide stunning ocean and mountain panoramas.

This female Arctic Skua had nested close to the designated path, I try to pass her carefully to minimise disturbance.  Then all of a sudden up she flies to chase passing Great Skuas from her territory.