Baltic Gull L f fuscus

Baltic Gull - Larus fuscus fuscus

1: © Ruud Altenburg, 25-05-06; 2: © Theo Muusse, 25-05-06; 3: © Ronald van Dijk, 25-05-06; 4-5: © Arnoud van den Berg, 25-05-06. Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Red CJC9, from Pori (61.39 N, 21.23 E), demonstrates that not all 2cy fuscus undergo an extensive moult on the wintering grounds. This is a Finnish 2cy which was observed in Morocco in February and thus probably wintered at a relatively northern latitude. As pictured here in Amsterdam, it still shows juvenile lesser and greater coverts, tail, secondaries and P5-10. However, P1-4 have been renewed, suggesting that this bird has followed the sequence of the complete moult rather than the sequence tail -> secondaries -> primaries which is normally found in graellsii/intermedius. For more pictures and information about CJC9, please see Ruud Altenburg's site.