Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus)

(last update: June 11, 2012 )

Mediterranean Gull 14+cy E544 July 29 2012, Le Portel / Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.

Photographed close to Le Portel, at parking "Leclerc / Mac-Donald" at Outreau.
Bird has been ringed "Green 3JR5" as breeding adult on 04 June 2002 at Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM (51,2N 4,17E). Retrapped and ringed "White E544" on 14 May 2011 at Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM (51,15N 4,19E).

Ring recoveries:
3JR526/07/2002Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, Camille
3JR5 10/08/2002Boulogne-sur-Mer, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,43N 1,37EDuponcheel, Camille
3JR5 12/10/2002Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 19/10/2002Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 21/07/2003 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,44N 1,36EDaumal, T
3JR5 02/08/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, C
3JR5 02/08/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 03/08/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, C
3JR5 03/08/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 04/08/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 04/08/2003 Outreau, Zone Industrielle, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,37EFlamant, R
3JR5 04/08/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, C
3JR5 05/08/2003 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, C
3JR5 09/08/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 10/08/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 11/08/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 12/08/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 13/08/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 26/09/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 27/09/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 25/12/2003 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 24/01/2004 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 08/02/2004 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 24/07/2004 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 05/08/2004 Plage de Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,38N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 17/08/2004 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 17/09/2004 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 26/09/2004 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 08/04/2005 Noordelijk Insteekdok, Oost-Vlaanderen, BELGIUM 51,17N 4,13EFlamant, R
3JR5 11/04/2005 Noordelijk Insteekdok, Oost-Vlaanderen, BELGIUM 51,17N 4,13EFlamant, R
3JR5 09/06/2005 Stellendam, Scheelhoek-eilanden, Zuid-Holland, NL 51,49N 4,04ELilipaly, S
3JR5 06/08/2005 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34ESchlorf, M
3JR5 07/08/2005 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 07/08/2005 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34ESchlorf, M
3JR5 09/08/2005 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, C
3JR5 09/08/2005 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 09/08/2005 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34ESchlorf, M
3JR5 02/09/2005 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 12/02/2006 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 14/02/2006 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 25/07/2006 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09ELamperière, A
3JR5 05/08/2006 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 22/08/2006 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09ELamperière, A
3JR5 30/10/2006 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09EBenoist, O
3JR5 03/04/2007 Zwijndrecht (Ineos complex), Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,2EDe Smet, W
3JR5 07/04/2008 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,2N 4,17EFlamant, R
3JR5 08/04/2008 Zandvlietsluis, Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,2N 4,17EFlamant, R
3JR5 23/07/2009 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, C
3JR5 23/07/2009 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34ELaignel, J
3JR5 26/07/2009 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 09/08/2009 Port d'Antifer, Saint-Jouin-Bruneval, Seine-Maritime, FRANCE 49,39N 0,09ELamperière, A
3JR5 26/07/2010 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 27/07/2010 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 28/07/2010 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EFlamant, R
3JR5 13/08/2010 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34ENachtigall, W
3JR5 13/08/2010 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EKatzer, B
3JR5 14/08/2010 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EKatzer, B
3JR5 14/08/2010 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34ENachtigall, W
WhiteE544 02/08/2011 Boulogne-sur-Mer, Plage, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,44N 1,36EFlamant, R
E544 02/08/2011 Wimereux, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,46N 1,37EDuponcheel, C
E544 03/08/2011 Le Portel, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,34EDuponcheel, C
E544 24/03/2012 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,19EJacobs, J
E544 02/04/2012 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,19ELilipaly, S
E544 22/07/2012 Le Portel, Hub port, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,43N 1,35EJaffre, M
E544 29/07/2012 Outreau, Pas-de-Calais, FRANCE 50,42N 1,36ESauvage, J M

From June 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. There is some variation in 3cy and 4cy wing-tip patterns.