Sea birds (South Africa) (1 Viewer)

[tzmonster]

All birds were seen in Cape Point National Park (South Africa) over shallow ocean water in April.

My best guesses:

(1 & 2) Juvenile Kelp Gulls

(3) Adult Kelp Gulls

(4 & 5) Terns (no idea which type)

I'm terrible with ocean birds so would love any clues.

Thanks!

 

[Jack Dawe]

I would say:
1 & 2: juvenile Kelp Gull
3: Grey-headed Gulls
4: Sandwich Tern
5: Swift Tern

 

[tzmonster]

Thanks. Grey-headed seems obvious now for #3.

Terns are tough.

 

[Nutcracker]

5: Swift Tern

Now more often called Great Crested Tern :t:

 

[Larry Sweetland]

How about Hartlaub's
Gull for 3? Looking on phone, so maybe you're eliminating it, but it's the common option

 

[Jack Dawe]

How about Hartlaub's
Gull for 3? Looking on phone, so maybe you're eliminating it, but it's the common option

The photo may be misleading, but there seems to be too much black on the underwing for Hartlaub's.

 

[lou salomon]

i don't see any ear spot for 'winter plumaged' grey-headed. bill structure hard to evaluate here. i'm tending towards hartlaub's gull but i have no personal experience with them. where exactly did you take the pics, tzmonster?

 

[Valéry Schollaert]

Hartlaub's Gull is the right ID. Not only Grey-headed is uncommon at Cape Point, but rarely seen at sea, while Hartlaub's is abundant there and seen all the time in the ocean indeed.

 

[Tib78]

The amount of black to the primaries is clearly in favour of Hartlaub’s as is the slight indication of a white trailing edge to the secondaries.
4 is a Great crested too.