American Herring Gull (smithsonianus)

(last update: October 30, 2015)

American Herring Gull (smithsonianus) 55C 2CY, July 01 2015, Hampton Beach State Park, NH. Picture: Robbie Prieto.

See website: The Gulls Of Appledore.

American Herring Gull banded green alphanumeric 55C. An 'Appledore Gull' probably banded on Appledore Island, Maine on July 20 2014.

On July 01 2015 Robbie photographed several ‘Appledore Gulls’ including 82C and 55C.  Both gulls were banded at their nests on different sides of Appledore Island where they had hatched.  Both were almost ready to fly at the time of banding. Robbie’s photos, taken about a year after hatching, allow comparison between gulls within days of the same age.

2CY in complete moult: P1-P4 replaced for 2nd gen primaries, P7-P10 still old juvenile. Complete row of median coverts replaced for 2nd gen feathers. Central greater coverts dropped simultaneously, leaving a large moult gap exposing the dark bases of the juvenile secondaries underneath.