Terns and Shore birds So. Cal

[bpresby]

Was out around Newport Beach, CA yesterday and wanted to confirm a few:

1) I believe this is a Spotted Sandpiper 

2) I believe the Terns on the right are Caspian based on the think bill.  Black Skimmers in the middle, a Double-crested Cormorant, unknown smaller unknown while bird, black on side of the head (far left) 

3) Now the unknown site bird is on the far right (boat was moving :) and what I think is a Willet in the foreground.    Unknown, might not be abled to identified int he background but guessing Marbled Godwit.

3)  I think this is a Royal Tern. based on the larger, but more slender orange bill.  

 

Thanks for your help.  I've tried to work on my shore birds and terns still confuse me.  

B

 

 

 

[Benjamin]

1) yes

2) Short legs + black-eye patch and thin bill = Forster's Tern for the leftmost bird, Black Skimmers in the Middle, Double-crested/Neotropic Comorant next, though it structurally looks like a Neotropic to my eye, then Caspian Terns

3) Leftmost tern is probably unidentifiable, Marbled Godwits (and Willet?) in the background, Black Skimmer and Willet in foreground, likely Forster's Tern on the right

4) yes

[bpresby]

Thank you Benjamin.  The Foster's Tern is new for me!  In reading more about the Neotropic I'm not sure it range goes to the West Coast of California.  However, I'm mad at myself for not taking better cormorant pictures in Belize last January thinking they were double crested.  

[Benjamin]

The Neotropic Cormorant has been expanding its range for a while- it's become abundant in the Phoenix area and some areas of SoCal. Where exactly you were is quite important though, because while in Phoenix the species has become ubiquitous and usually outnumbers Double-crested by quite a bit, in most areas of California Double-crested is still far more common.

Your bird is definitely not identifiable by this photo, I simply mean to suggest that depending on the location there is a decent chance it could be a Neotropic.

[Connor Cochrane]

29 minutes ago, Benjamin said:

The Neotropic Cormorant has been expanding its range for a while- it's become abundant in the Phoenix area and some areas of SoCal. Where exactly you were is quite important though, because while in Phoenix the species has become ubiquitous and usually outnumbers Double-crested by quite a bit, in most areas of California Double-crested is still far more common.

Your bird is definitely not identifiable by this photo, I simply mean to suggest that depending on the location there is a decent chance it could be a Neotropic.

This is most likely on the coast, given the fact that there’s Royal Tern. (It seems like a really long bill for Royal though, could it be elegant? It is by far the most common tern on the California coast.) Neotropics are very rare along the coast. They are expanding eastward though, reaching western Riverside county now. 

[bpresby]

Thank you for the information.  Yes the cormorant was in Newport Harbor, Back Bay.  I usually do not try to photograph cormorants I think are double crested but now I will take more time.  I still do not have a Pelagic confirmed so I will spend a little more time with this species.

Terns are also hard for me to identify, I'll see if anyone else weighs in on the last tern pictures.  I just went with the Royal based on the ID book I have.

B

[Connor Cochrane]

It probably is royal, just note elegant can have small bills, like this one:

[bpresby]

Thank you Connor.

 

Bob