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

(last update: 10-11-2009)

Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy, August 06 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).

A 3cy bird with arrested primary moult: the inner primaries are third generation and the outer primaries P6-P10 are second generation in the left wing. In the right wing moult has been arrested one primary earlier and here P5-P10 are second generation. P10 has a rounded tip and is second generation, without a mirror, this primary is much paler bleached than P7-P9. The primary coverts of the outer primaries are rather bleached brown.

The tail-feathers are mixed of some feathers showing a tail-band, some tail-feathers all-white.

Note the rather 'jumpy' moult sequence in the greater coverts. The new blackish median coverts contrast with the older retarded lesser coverts.

The soft parts are still immature with the base of the bill pale yellow and dark markings near the gonydeal angle, the iris greenish, peppered with black spots and the orbital ring red.