Despite the massive reduction of Bonxies (up to 80%) we found a bathing group of Great Skuas this week in the heights of Scotland. Twenty-two birds eventually came together in a small lochan for a wash and brush up. The sighting prompted us to ponder what the collective noun should be for a group of skuas. We came up with ‘An attack’ of skuas.
I was in conversation with Simon Barnes about his wife’s lovely art installation at Cley. Cindy is very talented, if you are around please go and see it first-hand. I mentioned the sighting of the skuas to Simon and he said the following: ‘Surely an assault of bonxies. More violent and a punning hint of their environment’
What do you think?
Letter From Norfolk 
I think I’d go with Simon on the one. Or how about a Mugging of Bonxies? On a more serious note, that figure of an 80% reduction in their numbers is horrifying.
Malcolm
It is Malcolm. I hope raptor numbers aren’t similarly bad.