Swift Tern (sterna bergii)

Went to the Lourens River Estuary in Strand this afternoon to look for Common Terns, that usually assemble there this time of the year, before departing for the northern hemisphere. None were to be seen, but instead there were hundreds of Swift Terns (sterna bergii). They are not very common birds in the Western Cape, so the numbers were an unusual sight. They do not migrate like the Common Tern, but only move up the East Coast of South Africa during the non-breeding season. If you live in the Cape Town area, you should go and see them. In these numbers they are usually only found on Robben Island.