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

(last update: 10-11-2009)

Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy C2WJ, July 10-16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).

C2WJ was ringed in Korpil, Finland; ringed as pullus on July 04 2001.
Recorded at Tampere:
2002-06-21, 2002-06-25, 2002-06-27, 2002-06-30, 2002-07-01, 2002-07-02, 2002-07-03, 2002-07-04, 2002-07-06, 2002-07-07, 2002-07-09, 2002-07-11, 2002-07-12, 2002-07-18, 2002-07-28, 2002-08-12, 2002-08-17, 2002-08-18, 2002-08-20, 2002-08-24, 
2003-06-14, 2003-06-28, 2003-07-01, 2003-07-05, 2003-07-11, 2003-07-12, 2003-07-20.
After July 20 2003, it wasn't seen again at Tampere dump despite many visits and may have moved further south from that date on.

Larus fuscus fuscus in 2cy often returns with completely replaced primaries and secondaries. The primary moult score in C2WJ in 2cy (August 2002): P1 3rd generation, fresh, P2 growing 3rd generation and P3-P10 2nd generation, moulted on the wintering grounds. So, no old juvenile primaries present in 2cy summer.
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.

C2WJ was ringed in Finland, now in 3cy, but was also recorded in 2002. Primary moult score in August 2002: P1 3rd generation, P2 growing, P3-P10 2nd generation. In 2003, this 3cy fuscus recently dropped P1 and started to moult to 4th generation in the inner-hand, with P2-P10 still old. The 3rd generation P10 has a very small mirror and P6 is the last primary with a white tip. The outermost secondary (S1) has been replaced, while the two adjacent secondaries have been replaced longer ago, now showing a bleached brown base. The inner secondaries (S4 inwards) appear fresher again. All rectrices appear fresh with pretty neat tips and are white without any black markings. Note the dark markings on the bill.