Yellow-legged Gull - Geelpootmeeuw (L. michahellis)

(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

Yellow-legged Gull 365D michahellis 3cy, July 27 2001, Etaples, France (50.42N,1.34E).

Adult michahellis ringed white right 365D, ringed as pullus on June 03 1999, Porquerolles island near Hyères, France (43°00N, 06°21E) by Eric Vidal. Primary moult score on July 27 2001: P5 is almost full grown, P9-P10 are old. This bird is moulting tail-feathers and tertials: the upper 3 tertials are new, #4 is growing. The greater covert moult stage: #1-2 new, #3-4 old, #5-15 missing, #16-> growing. The median covert moult: #1-3 new, #4 missing, #5 old, #6-> new. Active moult is in progress in the lower lesser, the lesser coverts and scapulars. There is still some black on the upper mandible  and the legs are  pink-yellow.

image below: 365D michahellis 3cy, July 27 2001, Etaples, France

This bird was seen many times in the harbour of Etaples, near Boulogne-sur-Mer since:
1999: (1cy) on October 09 by Roland-Jan Buijs.
2000: (2cy) on August 13, .September 08 & 17, October 01 & 08 by Jean-Michel Sauvage.
2001: (3cy) June 16, 20 & 23 by JM Sauvage; July 27, 28 & 30 by Bert-Jan Luijendijk and Mars Muusse.

Contact for information on this project:
Dr Eric Vidal: eric.vidal@univ.u-3mrs.fr
Maitre de Conferences (Lecturer)
Institut Mediterraneen d'Ecologie et de Paleoecologie (IMEP-CNRS, UMR 6116),
Faculté des Sciences et Techniques de Saint Jerome
case 461, 13397 MARSEILLE Cedex 20, FRANCE.
Tel : (33) 4 91 28 27 44 / Fax (33) 4 91 28 80 51.

image below: 365D michahellis 5cy, July 11 2003, Etaples, France

Summer 2003, 365D was seen again at the same location. There is still some limited black in the bill, but this is not uncommon in full adult birds. P9-P10 are still old, P6 is fully grown.