Gulls in NW Europe

(last update: September 25, 2011 )

Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY-3CY, August 2010 - September 2011, Westkapelle, the Netherlands. Pictures: Maarten van Kleinwee & Theo Muusse.

Ringed as pullus on June 27 2009 at Zeebrugge, Belgium.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 3CY, September 21 2011, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.

Typical third-calendar year European Herring Gull moulting to third-winter (third-basic, third cycle) plumage. All primaries have been replaced, but P9 and P10 are not yet fully grown. Also note the small size of the primary tips. The inner tertials, inner greater coverts and most of the median coverts are still mostly brown. The head, neck and chest show dark streaks, the bill is tri-colored: a pink base, a black subterminal band and a yellow tip.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY, October 14 2010, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY, September 20 2010, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.

Second-calendar year Herring Gull, moulting to second-winter plumage (second cycle, second prebasic moult). Many of the scapulars have been replaced by adult-looking gray feathers. The iris is dark, the base of the bill pale pink. Primaries P9 en P10 are not yet fully grown yet. The outer secondaries are fully grown or starting to come through, while a few of the first-generation dark brown inner secondaries are still present.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY, August 30 2010, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY, August 24 2010, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.

P6 fully grown (P9-P10 old) by 12 August, P7 fully grown (P10 old) by 24 August. Bird nicely illustrates the gap closing in the gc.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY, August 19 2010, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY, August 12 2010, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.

below: Herring Gull (argenteus) H-161237 2CY, August 02 2010, Westkapelle, the Netherlands.