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

(last update: 26-2-2011)

Larus fuscus / Larus heuglini U0JD 2010 - 2014, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov
& April 2013, Poland. Pictures: Mariusz Dąbek.

Barred 2cy Baltic Gull Larus fuscus or Heuglin's Gull L. heuglini red "U0JD" in active moult by March. Controversal bird, as it developed into a very pale-grey backed bird, while pattern on 2nd gen scapulars and coverts, jizz and streaking on head may better match fuscus. Alternative option: bird born in N Norway where dark-backed and pale-backed Larus fuscus meet and may form mixed pairs.

below: 2cy U0JD March 30 2010, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Wing-coverts and scapulars very barred, lacking plain dark grey feathers.

below: 2cy U0JD March 26 2010, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Wing-coverts and scapulars very barred, lacking plain dark grey feathers.

below: 2cy U0JD December 31 2010, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

More adult-like feathers turn out to be pale grey. Incidentially (a very small minority of) Finnish birds become this pale. See e.g.: CYHP.

below: 3cy U0JD February 12 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

After replacing the two inner primaries, moult didnot continue after December. Images below show a bird very streaked on head and breast, as is commonly found in late winter intermedius birds. Extensive head streaking and blochy patterns on breast are not seen in typical 3cy heuglini in February; they may show streaking, but this is normally concentrated in the hindneck, like seen in cachinnans, often called a 'dark boa'. In general, the jizz of this 3cy February bird U0JD, with pale grey mantle, short legs and heavily streaking overall, is reminiscent of many intermedius.

below: 3cy U0JD February 26 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Two inner primaries replaced in the right wing; outermost secondary (S1) and P2 replaced in the left wing.

below: 3cy U0JD 'look-alike unringed', March 08 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

U0JD, being very coarsly patterned on the head, and pale grey on the mantle, is not the only such an individual that can be found at Ashdod. Sometimes Air photographs look-alikes; unringed but quite similar birds. Below, some images of such birds, which may be either pale fuscus or heavily pattrned heuglini (or hybrids?).

First image below: bird in the background, asleep.

Bird below, same date, 08 March. Probably heuglini.

below: 3cy U0JD March 08 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Bird in active secondary moult. Head and breast streaking starts to fade away, but may aslo be late afternoon sunlight effect.

below: 3cy U0JD March 12 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Bird in active secondary moult. Mid March, still obvious streaking.

below: 3cy U0JD March 25 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Bird in active secondary moult.

below: 4cy U0JD January 14 2012, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Much black on bill.

below: 4cy U0JD January 20 2012, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Much black on bill.

below: 4cy U0JD March 16 2012, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Black on bill is fainting.

below: 5cy U0JD January 09 2013, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

P10 growing, last stage of complete moult.

below: 5cy U0JD March 29 2013, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Some black on bill. Note brown fringed underwing coverts.

below: 5cy U0JD March 30 2013, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

No black on primary coverts. Inseperatable from classic heuglini, which of course it may be; but it may also turn out to be a bird from N Norwegian mixed colony (mixed = pale-backed intermedius and dark-backed fuscus).

And below, two look-alikes, typical heuglini, same date, same place: March 30 2013, Ashdod.

below: 5cy U0JD April 10 2013, Sulisławice rubbish dump, Poland (50°52'26,7''N, 16°29'59,2''E). Pictures: Mariusz Dąbek.

First international recovery of Israeli-ringed gull! Aluminium ring F10005 Colour ring UOJD, heuglini-type born 2009 (age 5 at ringing), trapped at Ashdod 10/1/10 and ringed by Yoav Perlman, Amir Ben Dov and Francis Argyle. Ringing coordinates: 31.849923° N  34.700578° E.

Observed 10/4/13 by Mariusz Dąbek on Sulisławice rubbish dump, Poland (50°52'26,7''N, 16°29'59,2''E).

below: 6cy U0JD February 01 2014, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Winter head and bill.

below: 6cy U0JD February 15 2014, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Winter head and bill.

below: 6cy U0JD March 13 2014, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures: Amir Ben Dov.

Obvious paler grey than adjacent birds.