Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus)
(last update:
Mediterranean Gull 13cy 40Z July 28 2010, Le Portel / Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Bird from Belgium. Ringed as pullus on 30 May 1998 at Antwerpen, BELGIUM.
Life history with many many readings at Boulogne. Also:
Observed in the colony at 'Indre et Loire from 31 May 2003 - 16 June 2003
Again, same colony from 17 March 2004 until 17 June 2004,
and again here at 30 March 2006, 02 April 2006 & 13 April 2006.
In winter also recorded in Lisboa, Portugal on 17 February 2007. And of course numerous records from Boulogne-sur-Mer, Le-Portel & Outreau (le bassin de la liane), in region Pas-de-Calais.
From late summer to September, a complete moult takes place, into so-called "adult winter" plumage. The head pattern resembles the pattern in first winter birds, with blackish mask behind the eye. The mantle, scapulars, tertials and all the wing-coverts are replaced for plain pearl-grey feathers. The secondaries are completely white. The adult primaries are shiny pearly-grey, flashing white at a distance. There is a black line along the outer-web of P10 (and sometimes on P9 as well). Secondaries, under-wing and tail all completely white. The bare part coloration in adult plumage: Iris brown, orbital ring red or orangey-red, the bill red or orangey-red with a black bill-band and a yellowish tip and the legs dull reddish or dark.
