Gulls in NW Europe
(last update: September 25, 2011
Herring Gull 4cy GC-89612 (argenteus) July 2011, IJmuiden, the Netherlands. Pictures: Maarten van Kleinwee.
Bird ringed as 2cy in winter: March 07 2009 at Pitsea Landfill Site, Essex, United Kingdom.
Fourth-calendar year Herring Gull, moulting to fourth-winter (basic, fourth-cycle) plumage. Defining the exact state of the moult in this individual is made more difficult due to the wetness and untidiness of the feathers, but a clear contrast can be seen between the new gray feathers and the very worn older generation coverts, some of which still show a brown hue. The brown, third-generation outer primaries are worn and faded; P10 already carries a large mirror, while P9 has a small mirror on the inner web (inset). The tails still carries brown markings.
