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

(last update: 26-5-2013)

Larus fuscus fuscus adult CV21 2008-2014, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures Amir Ben Dov & Gal Shon.

CV21 was ringed as +2cy on July 10 2006 at Hauho, Finland (61.1886, 24.6181) by ringer Jouko Astor.

Below: Larus fuscus fuscus adult CV21 March 19 2008, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Preparing itself to migrate north again.

Below: Larus fuscus fuscus adult CV21 February 26 2009, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Below: Larus fuscus fuscus adult CV21 March 21 2009, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Below: Larus fuscus fuscus adult CV21 October 03-08 2009, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures Amir Ben Dov.

P1-P3 fully grown, tip of P4 just visible, P5 missing, P6-P10 old. Secondaries and rectrices old. Adult fuscus wihich is active primary moult in the inner primaries, as is typical for nominate fuscus in October. Ill-defined head streaking most prominent in the hind neck but also on crown and breast side and a small black line on the cutting edge of the bill. Red gonydeal spot doesn't exceed on the upper mandible. Upperpart colour rather dark grey without obvious mahogany brown hue (which is often found on the old wing coverts and scapulars in fuscus). Wing covert moult in progress, simultaneous with primary moult, most obvious in the fresh outer median coverts (picture 1).

Above: L. f. fuscus 5+cy CV21 October 03 2009, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov & Gal Shon.

Below: L. f. fuscus 5+cy CV21 October 08 2009, Ashdod, Israel. Pictures Amir Ben Dov.

Below: L. f. fuscus adult CV21 January 06 & 08 2010, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

P8 fully grown, P9 is growing and at about 1/3th of its final length. Active moult in the secondaries, with S1-S3 replaced, S4 growing and a moult gap. Central secondaries still old. The secondary row is moulted from two locations: the first moult wave starts at S1 (outermost secondary, next to the first primary P1). Shortly later, another secondary moult wave will start from the body, outwards. The two waves will meet at about S16-S18.

Below: L. f. fuscus 6+cy CV21 September 17 2010, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Again present. Hard to be sure about exact moult stage, but P3 might be missing. Or stated otherwise: P4-P10 are still present.

Below: L. f. fuscus 7+cy CV21 January 08 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Same date as last year. Again: P9-P10 still growing, last phase of the complete moult. Moult gap in the secondaries almsot closed.

Below: L. f. fuscus 7+cy CV21 April 08 2011, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Ready for migration to N Europe. Note small mirror on P10.

Below: Larus fuscus fuscus adult CV21 January 09 2013, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

P9 > P8, P10 still growing. Last stage of complete moult.

Below: Larus fuscus fuscus adult CV21 March 08 2014, Ashdod, Israel. Picture Amir Ben Dov.

Crisp adult plumage.