Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus)

(last update: June 11, 2012 )

Mediterranean Gull 7cy PHE4 December 03 2009, Le Portel / Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.

Bird from Poland. Ringed as pullus on 08 June 2003 at JANKOWICE GRAVEL PIT, KRAKOW, POLAND (50.02 N19.27 E). The bird then received a metal ring. It was trapped again at Le-Portel and colour-ringed Green 076. Due to bad quality of the ring, only a handful of records exsist. Fortunately, it could be trapped again in 2007 in the Polish colony, now a new red ring was attached red PHE4.
In subsequent years (2007 & 2009) this bird turned up in the Polish colony MIETKOW RESERVOIR, WROCLAW, POLAND (50.59 N16.40 E).

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.