Bulletin 355 - South Africa 2020 # 9 - coastal birds

I was enchanted with my first visit to Africa in November 2018 and so I scheduled another trip with the same guide Casper Badenhorst. As we had done the eastern part of the country from Durban to Kruger NP, we went to the Capetown area and the famous fynbos habitat.

I photographed 4 species cormorants -  3 of which were lifers. The largest is 35" White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus). It is found inland as well as along the coast. The ID is easy as the only cormorant in South Africa with white underneath.

White-breasted Cormorant

The other 3 are all coastal birds, were all new to me and are all endangered because of overfishing by Chinese trawlers. The 22" Crowned Cormorant (Microcarbo coronatus) is all black with a small crest above the red eye.

Crowned Cormorant

The 25" Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) is all black with a blue eye.

Cape Cormorant

The 30" Bank Cormorant (Phalacrocorax neglectus) was only seen on the pelagic trip as it nests on offshore rocks.

Bank Cormorant

The huge 36" Cape Gannet (Morus capensis) is unmistakable. It was also seen on the pelagic trip.

Cape Gannet

There were 2 smaller gulls - very similar in appearance. The 16" Hartlaub's Gull (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii) is endemic to Angola and South Africa coasts. It has a dark eye which is the ID mark compared to the next bird,

Hartlaub's Gull

The 16" Gray-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus) is winter plumage just has a small patch of gray on the ear. But the eye is pale.It occurs in Africa and South America.

Gray-headed Gull

The 25" Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) is the common huge black backed gull.

Kelp Gull

The 19" Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii) has a black head and shaggy crest. The bill is yellow. It is also called Swift Tern in Africa

Greater Crested Tern

The 16" Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) has a long thin black bill with a yellow tip. Interestingly I discovered, as doing this bulletin, that the IOC has split Sandwich Tern with the one in Americas now called Cabot's Tern (although not sure if AOC has also split it)

Sandwich Tern - breeding

I put the different bird/mammal families in single folders for easy viewing

I have photos of 11 of the 41 species of cormorants

I have photos of 5 of the 10 species of  gannets and boobies

I have photos of 44 of the 101 species of  gulls, terns, skimmers

Happy birding and photography,

David McDonald

dkmmdpa@gmail.com

photos copyright 2006 - 2020 David McDonald

To have these trip reports sent to your email, please email me at the above address and ask to subscribe.