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

(last update: 1-1-2010)

Larus fuscus intermedius J5V1 October 27 2007 & May 24 2008, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Pictures: Ruud Altenburg.

J5V1, is a juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gull, ringed on Heimlaukøya Lemmingsvær, Tranøy, Troms, Norway (69°01'36"N 016°52'35"E). This colony of about 45 breeding pairs contains a mixed population of dark fuscus birds, but also pale-mantled birds (graellsii / intermedius). Lemmingsvær holds one of the larger colonies in northern Norway, and ringing started already in 2002, with now 226 birds ringed in the period 2002-2008. Maximum breeding pairs is 45 birds for this location, with about 50% of these breeders being pale-mantled birds (origin either from graellsii populations from the west or intermedius birds colonising from southern Norway).

J5V1 is in complete juvenile plumage in October, and shows in May limited post-juvenile moult from the winter quarters. Together with western migration route suggests an offspring of intermedius brood. Post-juvenile moult included several tertials, inner greater coverts, inner and several central median coverts and scapulars.

More information about migration strategies in Norwegian fuscus and the ringing programme in the three northern counties of Norway: Nordland, Troms and Finnmark, can be found here: The summary for juveniles can be found in the fuscus 1cy October section, the summary for adults can be found in the fuscus adult October section.
Morten Helberg, Geir Systad, Ingve Birkeland, Nils Lorentzen & Jan Bustnes published an article about this research in Ardea 97, 2009, titled: Migration patterns of adult and juvenile Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus from northern Norway. The complete PDF can be found HERE.