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Gull, help ! (1 Viewer)

Jean FRANCOIS

Well-known member
Hello,
new problem with this gull 2cy.
What is it please ?
Thank you. (Thank Iou ? )
Jean
Belgian coast, may.
 

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I agree with LBBG (YLG for example wouldn't normally have such a broad tail band, in fact it's not so much a band but a mainly dark tail with some white at the sides) but I'm sure Lou meant 2cy rather than 3cy?

2cy for the following reasons:

It's moulted out the inner 4 primaries. The remaining 6 look to be very worn and all the same (first) generation. All very typical of 2cy LBBG in May. 3cy in May unlikely to have so many dropped primaries and remaining outer ones often in better condition (as they would have been renewed last autumn rather than still retaining the juvenile ones grown last summer).

Tail looks entirely of the same generation (and pattern is consistent with 1st gen feathers) and again is very worn.
3cy in May can show very variable tail band. Can superficially resemble the overall tail pattern seen here, but on closer inspection feather pattern usually subtly different (and is often very different) or virtually no tail band at all; a mix of different generation feathers is normal at 3cy.

Bill pattern looks very typical of 2cy birds, with dark tip and grey/pink basal half. Birds that are a year older often have much yellow, even rather adult-like bills.

Scapular pattern, with those dark grey adult-like feathers dotted around often occur like this at 2cy. Year older birds often have entirely dark saddle with more solid adult-like feathers (very variable though).

Underwing looks uniformly speckled brown like most 2cy birds. 3cy often show many 2nd gen white feathers mixed in, but not always (the one 'white' feather just looks like a displaced 1st gen covert
 
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