photo 6660:
Yellow-legged Gull michahellis 2cy,
October 01 2001, Le Portel, France.
Primary P10 is fully grown and all the
secondaries and rectrices are second generation and complete. Hence, the
complete moult has ended. After this complete moult, a partial moult has
included some of the tertials and wing-coverts.
The two upper tertials have a greyish centre with buffish-brown basal
half, the most recently replaced tertial, #3, is still growing and is
slightly more adult-like in its pattern. The two inner greater coverts are
missing, the other greaters show obvious brown barring on a white base
(though to the base, these feathers become darker all brown). Most of the
central median coverts are grey with a brown shaft streak, the inner
median coverts are patterned as the greater coverts. In the lesser
coverts, just a few have been replaced by grey feathers, the majority have
dark brown centres and white fringes.
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