Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus)

(last update: June 11, 2012 )

Mediterranean Gull adult 33T9 August 12 2014, Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.

White 33T9 ringed as adult on May 27 2009 at Noordelijk Insteekdok, Oost-Vlaanderen, BELGIUM (51,17N 4,13E).

History:
28.06.2009 - 28.10.2009: Le Portel, many observations.
26/06/2010 - 28/08/2010: again Le Portel.
03/11/2010 - Grandcamp-Maisy, Le Pont du Hâble, Calvados, France 49,23N 1,01W
29/04/2011 - Barbâtre, Polder de Sebastopol, Vendée, FRANCE 46,56N 2,09W
11/07/2011 - 15/07/2011 breeding at Kinseldam, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, NL 52,22N 5,01E
21/07/2011 - 30/08/2011 Le-Portel again
20/04/2012 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,19E
05/06/2012 Haringvliet, Slijkplaat, Zuid-Holland, NL 51,48N 4,09E
03/07/2012 Haringvliet, Slijkplaat, Zuid-Holland, NL 51,48N 4,09E
02/08/2012 - 18/08/2012 Le-Portel again
09/11/2012 Playa América, Nigrán, Pontevedra, SPAIN 42,08N 8,49W
05/12/2012 Playa América, Nigrán, Pontevedra, SPAIN 42,08N 8,49W
30/03/2013 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,19E
11/04/2013 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,19E
22/07/2013 - 16/10/2013 Le Portel again
09/03/2014 Port Val, Le Croisic, Loire-Atlantique, FRANCE 47,18N 2,31W
30/03/2014 Total, Antwerpen, province of Antwerpen, BELGIUM 51,15N 4,19E
28.06.2014 - 12.08.2014 Le-Portel again.

From June to September, a complete moult takes place, into so-called "adult winter" plumage. The head pattern resembles the pattern in first winter birds, with blackish mask behind the eye. The mantle, scapulars, tertials and all the wing-coverts are replaced for plain pearl-grey feathers. The secondaries are completely white. The adult primaries are shiny pearly-grey, flashing white at a distance. There is a black line along the outer-web of P10 (and sometimes on P9 as well). Secondaries, under-wing and tail all completely white. The bare part coloration in adult plumage: Iris brown, orbital ring red or orangey-red, the bill red or orangey-red with a black bill-band and a yellowish tip and the legs dull reddish or dark. There is some variation in 3cy and 4cy wing-tip patterns.

This bird is in the last stage of the complete moult, with outer primaries still growing and P10 still old.