Heuglin's Gull (L. heuglini / antelius)
(last update:
Heuglini adult, August 06 2002, Tampere, Finland (61.33N 24.59E).
Features suggesting heuglini in these pictures are upper-parts grey-tone. Birds obvious paler than fuscus. Facial expression: slender bill with well-defined gonydeal angle. General structure suggest female: pot-bellied bird, rounded head, different from the slender and 'elongated' look of fuscus.
Large mirror on P10, on both webs, small mirror on P9 (mirror on P9 not common in heuglini). Red spot doesn't extend to upper mandible, well in line with adult heuglini. P1-P2 new, P3 growing, P4 missing, P5-P10 old, all rectrices and secondaries old as well. Primary coverts with black shaft streaks. Orbital ring red. No brown hue on old wing-coverts. Some median and lower lesser coverts are fresh and steel-blue, compared to the slate-grey older wing-coverts and there seems to be a gap in the inner median coverts. Leg colour would be strange for adult graellsii & intermedius LBBG in summer.
General structure, especially head-shape and bill with obvious gonys angle, not very reminiscent of cachinnans, which is often a good clue for heuglini. This kind of individuals at Tampere may also represent the paler end of fuscus (so not heuglini), or, considering the pot-bellied, short winged appearance, one may also argue this is the intermedius influence in core fuscus breeding area. Interestingly, in recent years, some ringed pullus within core fuscus area, turned out to be rather pale grey (near)adults.
Probably the same bird on August 12 2002. Red spot confined to lower mandible. P10 with large mirror and much black in the wing-tip. Primary moult state: P1-P3 new, P4 growing, P5 missing, P6-P10 old.
