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

(last update: 10-11-2009)

Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy C6NS, July 10-15 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).

C6NS was ringed in Korpil, Finland; ringed as pullus on July 04 2001.
Recorded at Tampere:
2003-05-28, 2003-05-29, 2003-05-30, 2003-05-31, 2003-06-01, 2003-06-05, 2003-06-07, 2003-06-14, 2003-06-15, 2003-06-16, 2003-06-17, 2003-06-18, 2003-06-20, 2003-06-29, 2003-07-09, 2003-07-10, 2003-07-15, 2003-07-16, 2003-07-20.

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.

C6NS was ringed in Finland, now in 3cy. Prior to northbound migration, primary moult was arrested on the wintering grounds at P8, creating a clear division between the inner primaries and the two outer primaries, P9-P10. By July, primary moult has been initiated again at P1, which is already visible. P2 has been dropped as well. The wing shows three generation of primaries now: P1 is 4th generation, P2 is missing and will be replaced for 4th generation as well; P3-P8 are 3rd generation and the outer two primaries P9-P10 are still 2nd generation. Moult in the secondaries has been arrested as well, with the inner secondaries showing dark brown bases. The outer 9 secondaries have been replaced in the moult cycles on the wintering grounds, now showing grey bases. All rectrices appear white without any black markings. In general this individual looks much adult-like, but as can be seen in many 3cy fuscus, there is some black on the bill and the central and inner greater coverts are very bleached, pale brown.