photo 5577: Yellow-legged Gull michahellis 2cy,
July 27 2001, Le Portel, NW France.
All juvenile primaries have been shed,
while p7 is almost fully grown and p8 is at the length of p4. Note the red
orbital ring in this 2cy. All greater and median coverts have been
replaced and the tips of the feathers still show neat white fringes. The
upper tertial still has to grow a few inches. In the lesser coverts moult
is in progress and many gaps of missing feathers are visible, especially
in the inner lesser coverts. Note the dark centred upper scapulars and the
arrow-head pattern on some of the grey lower scapulars.
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