Photo 7: LBBG sub-adult, September 2 2001, ECT parking Maasvlakte, the Netherlands.

Primary moult stage: p8-p10 old, p5 slightly longer than p4. Upper tertial missing and tertial #2 new. All greater coverts are old, which is atypical for sub-adults, since they moult the greater coverts normally in August. Some of these old greater coverts are reduced to a single shaft, but it seems they have been plain brown-grey, not the typical barred or checkered pattern of 2nd generation feathers and probably this individual is in 4cy.

Note the old bleached outer primaries, which is more in line with 3cy LBBG. P10 lacks a mirror. Are the tip and mirror worn away, as may be the case with white areas which are the weakest part of the primary, due to lack of pigmentation?