Great Skua, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

Great Skua, Jokulsarlon, Iceland - Great Skua
Jökulsárlón, Iceland (June 2017)

This image was taken during a trip organised by Natures Images and led by Danny Green and Paul Hobson. Jökulsárlón is a glacial lagoon containing icebergs calved from the Breiðamerkurjökull glacier. There is an Arctic Tern colony next to the car park at Jökulsárlón. The colony is occasionally attacked by Great Skuas nesting on a grassy plateau nearby. The Skuas are reasonably approachable and I never experienced a direct dive-attack but then I didn't try to get very close to them. They seemed happy if I remained at the top of the bank leading up to the plateau. This position also gave a nice low-angle view of the Skuas on the grass.

Gordon Rae, Garth Peacock, Liz Cutting, Helen Jackson-Garside and Carol Minks were among the eight photographers on the trip. Check out their websites for more images from the Iceland tour.

Status is Least Concern. For more information on this bird species see the following links:
Great Skua Catharacta skua / Internet Bird Collection
Great Skua / Bird Forum
BirdLife International / Great Skua Catharacta skua
ARKive / Great skua (Stercorarius skua)

Shooting Time 14:38
Tv(Shutter Speed) 1/1600
Av(Aperture Value) 6.3
Exposure Compensation 0
ISO Speed 500

Latitude 64 02 51.0 N
Longitude 16 10 28.2 W
Altitude 9.20m


Great Skua, wings raised, Iceland


Also in: Great Skua

Great Skua mobbed by Arctic Terns, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua resting, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua in flight, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua pursuing Arctic Tern, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua landing, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Arctic Tern buzzes Great Skua, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua on grass, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua crouches low, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua standing, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua & Arctic Tern, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua chasing Arctic Tern, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua on landing approach, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Arctic Tern chases Great Skua, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua about to land, Jokulsarlon, Iceland
Great Skua with wings outstretched, Jokulsarlon, Iceland