nominate Lesser Black-backed Gull (L. f. fuscus)

(last update: 10-11-2009)

Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy C2A5, July 10-17 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).

C2A5 was ringed in Pälkän, Finland (61.35N 24.38E); ringed as pullus on June 25 2001.
Recorded at Tampere:
2001-08-11, 
2003-05-15, 2003-05-17, 2003-05-21, 2003-05-25, 2003-05-30, 2003-05-31, 2003-06-14, 2003-06-15, 2003-06-16, 2003-06-17, 2003-06-28, 2003-07-06, 2003-07-10, 2003-07-11, 2003-07-12, 2003-07-13, 2003-07-14, 2003-07-15, 2003-07-16, 2003-07-17, 2003-07-21, 2003-07-23, 2003-07-24, 2003-07-26, 2003-07-30, 2003-08-02, 2003-08-06, 2003-08-09.
After August 09 2003, it wasn't seen again at Tampere dump despite intense visits and may have moved further south from that date on.

Larus fuscus fuscus in 2cy often returns with completely replaced primaries and secondaries. In 3cy, fuscus more often shows a clear division between fresh inner primaries and older outer primaries, the inner primaries often showing neat white tips and the outer primaries often second generation-like with rounded tips and paler bleached brown. The arrested moult in the primaries is often reflected in the secondaries and (to a less extend) in the tail-feathers as well. The older tail-feathers (often R5 is older) still show a broad dark sub-terminal band.
3cy fuscus often have some black markings on the bill, which is otherwise much adult-like, with a clear red gonydeal spot. The colour of the naked parts are adult-like as well. 
The scapulars in 3cy are often completely adult-like, lacking internal patterns; plain blackish grey with a mahogany hue on the older feathers. Most wing-coverts and tertials are adult-like blackish grey as well, but often 3cy birds show some very bleached pale brown wing-coverts, normally in the greater covert bar and in the upper rows of the lesser coverts. These bleached wing-coverts accentuate the jumpy sequence in the last wing-covert moult cycles, as there is often no clear pattern in location of these bleached feathers. Head and body feathers normally are snow-white by July.

C2A5 was ringed as pullus at Palkan, Finland on June 25 2001, now in 3cy. Prior to northbound migration, primary moult was arrested at P7. By July, all primaries are still present, with a division between the new inner 7 primaries and the older 3 outer primaries. P10 is probably second generation, but has an obvious mirror (which can be explained by the time of replacement). All secondaries and all rectrices were included in the moult cycles on the wintering grounds, now all 3rd generation. In general this individual looks much adult-like, but as can be seen in many 3cy fuscus, there is some black on the bill.

See also: C2A8, another 3cy fuscus present on Tampere dump in July 2003, probably ringed on the same location and same date.