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

(last update: 10-11-2009)

Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy C5XE, July 10-16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).

C5XE was ringed in Kanala, Finland (61,41N 24,06E); ringed as pullus on June 28 2001.
Recorded at Tampere:
2001-08-24, 
2003-05-20, 2003-05-24, 2003-05-25, 2003-05-29, 2003-05-31, 2003-06-01, 2003-06-04, 2003-06-07, 2003-06-14, 2003-06-15, 2003-06-16, 2003-06-17, 2003-06-18, 2003-06-20, 2003-06-22, 2003-06-28, 2003-06-29, 2003-07-01, 2003-07-02, 2003-07-05, 2003-07-06, 2003-07-09, 2003-07-10, 2003-07-11, 2003-07-12, 2003-07-13, 2003-07-14, 2003-07-15, 2003-07-16, 2003-07-20, 2003-07-23, 2003-07-24, 2003-07-26, 2003-07-27, 2003-08-02, 2003-08-03. 

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.

C5XE was ringed as pullus at Kanala, Finland on June 28 2001, now in 3cy. This 3cy fuscus has four inner primaries, P1-P4, which appear fresher and may apply to 4th generation. P5-P10 are older, with a mirror on P10 and very small tips on the outer primaries. Nevertheless, P1-P10 are probably all third generation flight feathers, moulted on the wintering grounds, prior to northbound migration. These inner primaries are projected by the tertials and less vulnerable to wear and tear, and this may explain the division. When there is a generation division, one often notice a similar division in the primary coverts as well, which is not the case here. Also, there is hardly any difference in the grey inner-web of P4 and P5.
The (outer) secondaries have been replaced as well. All rectrices appear fresh with pretty neat tips and are white without any black markings. In general this individual looks much adult-like with no black on the bill, but as can be seen in many 3cy fuscus, there are often features of immaturity: here dark speckling in the iris.

See also C0XC and C8XC, ringed on the same location, the same date.