Herring
Gull 2cy, December 21 2001, Brouwersdam, the Netherlands (51.45N,03.51E).
Note
the primary pattern. The window in the inner primaries is created by the inner
and outer webs of these second generation feathers. The primaries are rather
brown, with small off-white crescents at the tips and P10 lacks a mirror.
The outer primary coverts are as brown as the outer primaries.
This 2cy Herring Gull is illustrative
for birds with partial autumn wing-covert moult in 2cy. Most of the greater coverts, the lower lesser
coverts and lesser coverts are
still second generation. Both in the median covert
bar and the innermost greater
coverts are replaced for third generation feathers. The fresh scapulars are grey-based with a faint brown
pattern.
Note the brown iris and dark extensive bill-band, the black running back to the
base along the culmen.
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