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

(last update: 19-1-2010)

Larus fuscus fuscus 11cy C3KE, October 30 2009, Ashdod. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

C3KE is probably a female, ringed by Risto Juvaste in Finland: from Mustasaari (near Vaasa) on July 11 1999. It was recorded up to 2008, many times at Ashdod.
In November - December recorded 3 times as 2cy at Ashdod. Rest of the winter probably there as well, with records from January, February, March and early April 2001. Last seen as 3cy on 8 April and may then have left to N Europe. It returned 31 August 2001, still as 3cy bird and was seen 6 times until 9 October 2001. It may have moved further south. It was then seen when migrating north again, just on 2 days in late March 2002. April 2002, April 2003 and April 2004 it was seen at Tampere, Finland.
Surprisingly, it was not recorded for some years, to turn up again for one day: 23 December 2007 at Ashdod.

A rather grey looking adult, lacking the brown mohogany hue which may be present on fuscus when wing coverts and scapulars are older. Slender bird with pointed long wings when resting, but be aware of missing central primaries now the complete moult is in progress.
Primary moult stage not described in the field, but central primaries obviously missing, probably P7-P10 old. Normal moult gap would be P4 fully grown. Central tail feathers may already been missing, similar as the bird in the background.
Inner greater coverts and median coverts fresh, central lower lesser coverts are growing.
Ill-defined head streaking in the hind neck and a small black smudge on the bill. Red gonydeal spot doesn't exceed on the upper mandible. Upperpart colour rather pale grey, obvious paler than black old outer primaries.P1-P4 fully grown, P5 growing, P6 missing, P7-P10 old. Secondaries and rectrices old. Adult fuscus wihich is active primary moult in the inner primaries, as is typical for nominate fuscus