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Thanks Deefstes!

Believe it or not I had no problem identifying the cows. Just as well they don't fly! Things could get very messy below.

Could the gurus help, please? I took the following photos of a Tern eating a fish at Jefferys Bay last week. I am new to most seabirds. I looked carefully Roberts and first thought Common Tern, but then wondered where the black feathers on the wings were - they are prominent of the Roberts illustration. I noted the black beak, the clear black cap and the fact that the tail appears longer than the wings - I thought Damara tern (but surely out of range) or Roseate tern (but no pinkish tinge that I can see). The leg length was difficult as it was standing in water. I couldn't get very close as it was very nervous.

Keep well
Pete

Hey there Pete - I'm not one of them guru's, but my money is on a Common Tern

I'm not a guru and have no idea where Jeffrey's Bay is but I would put my pennies on it being a Damara.

Pete, its very difficult to determine the size in a Photo But on the first photo there is a fine white line just above the bill which leads me to the Sandwich Tern can't see if there is a yellow tip on bill. But if it is a very small Tern I would also go for a Damara but the black of the head goes to the corner of the bill. I am not a guru on seabirds.

Definitely not Damara or Sandwich.

Damara Tern has yellow legs and this bird shows no hint of that. Also, Damara Tern is a tiny little bird, about the size of a European Bee-eater. While this is not always apparent from pics, it can be seen that this bird has the proportions of the mid-sized terns. For one, the head would appear a bit bigger relative to the body on Damara Tern.

Sandwich Tern almost always shows a bit of a crest. This bird has a perfectly smooth nape on all three pics. Also, even if the bill was badly lit and the yellow tip could not be seen, it would still appear much bulkier than this. Sandwich Tern has a fairly heavy bill.

The bird you have here is a tricky one. If you had more pictures, or tighter crops at higher resolution of these pictures, it might help somewhat. As an inland birder who only see these birds when I'm on vacation, I can't say that I've really developed a keen familiarity with them but I have seen a fair number of Common and Antarctic and occasional Arctics and Roseates.

I'm hesitant to commit to an ID yet but I will say that I'm getting Roseate feelings off of this bird. Don't set too much store by the pinkish underparts. Those are difficult to discern even with good views. This bird seems to me to have a longer bill than your typical Common Tern. The partial breeding plumage is about right for Roseate at this time of year.

The main thing that bothers me is the tail that doesn't appear to be quite long enough for Roseate. Like I said, it would help a great deal if you have more pictures or even just higher resolution versions of these.

With you all the way on Sandwich or any other "crested" tern but I still get Damara feelings with this guy. (they do have black legs too!!)
I agree size is difficult without a comparator in long shots and that bill bothers me too. (On the final shot you could be reminded of a Skimmers!!) It is the length of bill v head size that keeps me in the Damara camp. NOt happy about the hint of a whiteline above the gape but this could be light reflection on a wet bill.
As you say some close cropping at higher resolution is needed.

(lucky me! My "Office" overlooks the beach so I have Sandwich, Little and Comic Terns on my garden list.)

Thanks for the reactions Ladybird, Deefstes, Maxwell and Waterbuck. This was not a particularly small bird - certainly not Bee Eater sized - more large dove sized. I include three more (different) pictures of it - all shot at mazimum zoom in poor fading light of evening so I'd upped the ISO so the cropping hasn't really helped.

I looked though some more boks at the library this evening but am none the wiser. The fact that it has a full black skullcap but no black on the wings puzzles me. Also the beak seems all black. I am really now at sea, if you'll excuse the excrutiating pun.

Pete

I'm now even more convinced that this is a Roseate Tern.

• For one, the bird is quite pale, above and below. The grey upperparts is a very light shade of grey.
• Secondly, the primaries show a pale patch above the dark line. This can be seen fairly well on the last picture and is a good feature for Roseate Tern.
• The plumage is just about what you'd expect from Roseate Tern at this time of year. It has already attained most of it's breeding plumage replete with the full black cap. In another couple of weeks, this bird will have a red bill. Do a Google image search on Roseate Tern and I'm sure you'll find a black-capped and black-billed individual within the first few hits. (Let's have a quick look... aah, found one Le Click)

If there was any doubt still as to whether this is a Damara Tern (which there shouldn't have been ), the last picture clearly shows that the black cap touches only on the upper edge of the base of the bill. On Damara Tern the black cap goes all the way to the gape.

There are two things about the bird that still bothers me a wee bit:

• The tail does not appear to be very long
• The legs doesn't seem to show any hint of red

I'm not 100% sure what to make of this. I think a subadult bird would have shorter outer tail feather and I would think that it could also explain the seemingly black legs. While non-breeding Roseates still have red legs, juveniles have black legs. So if this is a subadult bird that's going into breeding plumage for the first time, I think the dark legs and the shorter outer tail feathers might be explained.

You are right. It is a Rosy.
Obviously size matters in some things but what convinced me, as well as your rationalising, was this:-
"A very pale medium sized tern with long blackish slightly drooped bill." Fits that bird to a T(ern!)

Thanks Deefstes - you are a star. I went on this Eastern Cape trip and thought that I had returned with no new ticks, but in the end I have three and this is one of them. I spent a long time trying to ID this one and if I had not consulted the forum I would have ended up getting it completely wrong. Again, via the forum I have learned a few more tricks to positive ID.

BTW: I got my boots very very muddy getting this Tern - but it was worth it. While taking the Tern a Fish Eagle was flying around. All in all magical quiet and perfect evening at Jeffery's Bay (Kabeljous River).

Many thanks
Pete

Is this a Brown-throated Martin, seen at one of the wetlands in Cape Town today.





Thanks

Yes, its a Brown-throated Martin

Hi, I photographed these birds at Austin Roberts in Pretoria and wld like a positive ID if possible. I have a feeling it is Pochards but not our local Southern Pochard. Inputs appreciated

Greater Red-billed WTF Duck!