Vega Gull (vegae) / セグロカモメ / 재갈매기 

(last update: December 2015)

Vega Gull (vegae), 2nd cycle (2CY), December 04 2005, Choshi, Japan. Picture: Akimichi Ariga.

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2nd cycle bird with 2nd cycle flight feathers. Primary moult not finished yet, P9 fully grown, but P10 still growing and inch or so. Bird lacking any adult-like grey scaps. Due to delicate thin patterns on coverts and scaps, the overall tone is pale, with tertials darker and only a few lower scaps shwoing bold patterns. Fresh wing-coverts still with buffish tones, which will bleach to almost white later in winter. Note dark iris.