2cy Baltic Gull L f fuscus

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus fuscus intermedius

Like blue JJ6S, this is a bird from C Norway, but it is much more fuscus-like in moult and appearance.

An advanced Finnish 2cy fuscus, already moulting its primaries already to third generation feathers. All other Baltic Gulls on this web site are also from Finland.

This bird shows an even greater number of adult-like feathers and could easily be confused with a 3cy.

A slightly paler and rather strongly streaked bird showing "Staffelmauser" (simultaneously moulting outer primaries to second and inner primaries to third generation feathers).

This bird shows mainly worn brown non-juvenile scapulars and wing coverts.

This bird has retained its outer juvenile primaries. Its moult progression was followed from late May to late August.

An individual known to have wintered in NW Africa rather than the Middle East or E Africa, showing a very restricted moult for fuscus. Feather patterns very similar to many intermedius but not to heuglini.

A slow-moulting bird like this one is inseparable from intermedius but should cause no confusion with Heuglin's Gull.

Another fuscus from the slowest end of the moult spectrum; photographed here in mid-summer, it shows graellsii/intermedius-like moult.

An intriguing 2cy from Finland which as a 2cy showed a moult and feather patterns identical to western birds. It annually returned to Finland and as it matured proved to show a pale mantle compared to the average fuscus.