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

(last update: 10-11-2009)

Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy C6H5, July 09-16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).

C6H5 was ringed in Luopio, Finland (61,36N 24,50E); ringed as pullus on June 28 2001.
Recorded at Tampere:
2002-07-28, 
2003-05-17, 2003-05-18, 2003-05-24, 2003-05-28, 2003-05-29, 2003-05-31, 2003-06-01, 2003-06-03, 2003-06-14, 2003-06-17, 2003-06-18, 2003-06-20, 2003-06-28, 2003-06-29, 2003-07-01, 2003-07-06, 2003-07-09, 2003-07-11, 2003-07-16, 2003-08-09.

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.

C6H5 was ringed as pullus at Luopio, Finland on June 28 2001, now in 3cy. The inner primaries P1-P6 are glossy black with slightly paler inner webs and with well-defined neat white-grey tips. The outer primaries are paler bleached brown with only small white crescents on the very tip and are probably 2nd generation. Note the black markings on the tail-feathers, visible in the images. As can be seen in many 3cy fuscus, C6H5 has some retained bleached pale brown wing-coverts and one lower tertial. All secondaries and tail-feathers replaced as well.