(2 images) Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy C0AV, July 12 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).
C0AV was ringed in Tampere, Finland; ringed as
pullus July 08 2001.
Recorded
at Tampere: 2003-05-18,
2003-05-20,
2003-05-21, 2003-05-24, 2003-05-31, 2003-06-03, 2003-06-12, 2003-06-20,
2003-06-28, 2003-07-05, 2003-07-06, 2003-07-12,
2003-07-13,
2003-07-20, 2003-07-23, 2003-07-24, 2003-07-30, 2003-07-31, 2003-08-02,
2003-08-05, 2003-08-06, 2003-08-08, 2003-08-09.
After August 09 2003, C0AV wasn't seen again at Tampere dump despite
intense visits and may have moved further south from that date on.
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.
C0AV was ringed in
Finland, now in 3cy. This 3cy fuscus
has arrested primary moult prior to northbound migration: there is a clear
division in the visible outer primaries between P8 and P9. The two outer primaries
(P9-P10) are bleached, pale brown and P10 has no mirror; they probably are
retained 2nd generation flight feathers. The other visible outer primaries,
P5-P8, are much darker
with small white tips (more adult-like primaries) and are probably 3rd generation flight feathers.
Note the black markings on the rectrices, dark markings on the bill and the retained
bleached wing-coverts and central tertials, typical for 3cy birds. C0AV was photographed
with clouded sky.