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

(last update: 25-1-2010)

Larus fuscus fuscus C104 9CY & 18CY, July 15-16 2003 & April 05 2012, Tampere, Finland & Zabieliškis - Kaunas, Lithuania. Picture Mars Muusse & Boris Belchev.

C104 was ringed in Pälkän, Finland (61,35N 24,38E); ringed as pullus on July 01 1995 by Risto Juvaste. Hand when ringed: 185 mm. 
Ring recorded at Tampere landfill:
1998: 2 records from 1998-07-09 & 1998-07-09,
1999: 10 records from 1999-05-12 until 1999-08-07,
2000: 12 records from 2000-04-26 until 2000-07-11,
2001: 11 records from 2001-04-28 until 2001-08-11, 
2002: 23 records from 2002-04-16 until 2002-08-22,
2003: 19 records from 2003-05-18 until 2003-08-09.

below: fuscus C104 18CY, April 10 2013, Zabieliškis - Kaunas, Lithuania. Picture Boris Belchev.

below: fuscus C104 9CY, July 15-16 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).

Ringed as pullus at Palkan, Finland on July 01 1995, now in 9cy. A representative for the adult fuscus by mid-July. Most striking are the small size (albeit probably a male), the slender bill, the red gonydeal spot which normally doesn't exceed on the upper mandible, the dark upper-parts which turn brown hued when older and worn, the lack of moult in the scapulars, wing-coverts and the primaries and the small white tips on the outer primaries, which wear away quickly. Note the strong brown hue on the old upper-parts and the very dark fresh central median coverts. In this individual, the red spot on the gonys extends on the upper mandible. The three upper tertials have been replaced recently.