Larus armenicus adults, 15 October 2010, Maagan Michael, Israel. Picture: Amir Ben Dov.
Adult armenicus at the beach. Bird with no old primaries in the wing: P10 has been dropped as well. This is the final stage of the complete moult. Simultaneously, birds finish the moult in the rectrices and finally the gap in the central secondaries will close as well. Common moult stage by mid October is: P7 fully grown, with no old primaries left.
Here: P7 fully grown, P8 about as long as P6. Tip of P10 already visible. PMS = 44. Two moult waves are closing the gap in the central secondaries (in the middle, some old secondaries are still left).
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