Yellow-legged Gull- Geelpootmeeuw (L. michahellis): 2cy March

(last update: 08 december 2003)

ORG SITE

YLG 1cy May
YLG 1cy June
YLG 1cy July
YLG 1cy August
YLG 1cy September
YLG 1cy October
YLG 1cy November
YLG 1cy December

YLG 2cy January
YLG 2cy February
YLG 2cy March
YLG 2cy April
YLG 2cy May
YLG 2cy June
YLG 2cy July
YLG 2cy August
YLG 2cy September
YLG 2cy October
YLG 2cy November
YLG 2cy December

YLG 3cy January
YLG 3cy February
YLG 3cy March
YLG 3cy April
YLG 3cy May
YLG 3cy June
YLG 3cy July
YLG 3cy August
YLG 3cy September
YLG 3cy October
YLG 3cy November
YLG 3cy December

YLG sub-ad Jan.
YLG sub-ad Feb.
YLG sub-ad March
YLG sub-ad April
YLG sub-ad May
YLG sub-ad June
YLG sub-ad July
YLG sub-ad Aug.
YLG sub-ad Sept.
YLG sub-ad Oct.
YLG sub-ad Nov.
YLG sub-ad Dec.

YLG adult January
YLG adult February
YLG adult March
YLG adult April
YLG adult May
YLG adult June
YLG adult July
YLG adult August
YLG adult September
YLG adult October
YLG adult November
YLG adult December

 photo 9480: Yellow-legged Gull michahellis 2cy, 18 March 2003, Etaples/ Boulogne-sur-Mer, France (50.42N,01.34E).

A 2cy michahellis Yellow-legged Gull with a 2cy argenteus Herring Gull. Note the shape of forehead, crown, strong breast and advanced moult in this 2cy michahellis, with second generation under-parts and moulted wing-coverts and tertials. This 2cy Herring Gull still shows juvenile scapulars in the lowest row and a complete juvenile wing and tertials. The michahellis has replaced the upper two tertials, the two inner greater coverts, some inner and central median coverts, about five lower lesser coverts and some lesser coverts. This individual nicely demonstrates that the exact sequence is very hard to detect by March as the juvenile wing-coverts are very abraded and bleached and the second generation wing-coverts required in an early stage (July-August) are very hard to separate from old juvenile feathers. The recently replaced wing-coverts still have a greyish hue. The tail-feathers and flight-feathers are still juvenile.
Fresh scapulars with a broad pale tip and grey hue can be found in the lowest row of scapulars and in the lower upper scapulars. Some lower upper scapulars are missing. The grey hued upper scapulars are recently moulted third generation feathers. In 2cy michahellis it's common to find birds starting to replace upper scapulars to third generation feathers, while the rear lowest scapulars have only very recently been replaced for second generation feathers. By this stage, this individual shows first generation feathers (remiges, rectrices, most outer wing-coverts), second generation feathers (the head, body, most scapulars and some inner wing-coverts) and at the same time third generation feathers (a few lower upper scapulars).
Note that in most 2cy individuals of this age-class the head and neck are by no way pure white, with delicate dark streaking concentrated around the eye and extending on the nape. In the hind-neck, 2cy michahellis often shows a boldly streaked neck-collar. The dark bill starts to turn paler at the base by February.