(2 images) Larus fuscus fuscus 3cy C4CM, July 12-17 2003, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).
C4CM was ringed in Virrat, Finland;
ringed as pullus on July 04 2001.
Recorded
at Tampere:
2003-06-20,
2003-06-22, 2003-06-28, 2003-06-29, 2003-07-06, 2003-07-09, 2003-07-11,
2003-07-12, 2003-07-16, 2003-07-17, 2003-07-20, 2003-07-23, 2003-07-24,
2003-07-26, 2003-07-27, 2003-07-31, 2003-08-02, 2003-08-09.
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.
C4CM was ringed as in Finland, now in 3cy. This 3cy fuscus
has the two outer primaries (P8-P10) bleached brown, with the small white crescents
almost completely worn away.
P10 lacks a small mirror and therefore is most probably 2nd generation. The seven inner primaries have been replaced prior to
northbound migration. Primary moult was arrested at P7 this spring, leaving a
clear division between P7 and P8.
Note the dark markings on the cutting edge of the bill
and the retained
bleached wing-coverts.
See also: C8CM, present on Tampere dump, July 2003.