These presumed Baltic Gulls (Larus
fuscus) were photographed by Guy Gibbons at the Umgeni
River Estuary, Durban, South Africa in November 1994. Guy tells
me that Kelp Gull (Larus dominicus vetula) is the common
black-backed form while "Lesser Black-backed Gull" is
a rare vagrant in South Africa. Neither of these two birds has
the slim, elegant structure of classic fuscus; presumably
the mantle shade is within the range of the slightly paler birds
from southern Sweden; we'd appreciate any
feedback on these birds:
