Herring Gull- Zilvermeeuw (argentatus & argenteus)

(last update: 8-2-2007)

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Herring Gull plumages:

hg 1cy July
hg 1cy August
hg 1cy September
hg 1cy October
hg 1cy November
hg 1cy December

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

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

hg sub-ad January
hg sub-ad February
hg sub-ad March
hg sub-ad April
hg sub-ad May
hg sub-ad June
hg sub-ad July
hg sub-ad August
hg sub-ad September
hg sub-ad October
hg sub-ad November
hg sub-ad December

hg ad January
hg ad February
hg ad March
hg ad April
hg ad May
hg ad June
hg ad July
hg ad August
hg ad September
hg ad October
hg ad November
hg ad December

Herring Gull 3cy (argenteus), February 07 2002, IJmuiden, the Netherlands (52.27N-04.33E).

A 3cy argenteus with showing brown second generation primaries with rounded tips (unlike the pointed juvenile primaries) which lack a mirror on P10. The second generation tail has a broad dark tail-band and a thin white fringes.
About half of the scapular region consist of old  barred feathers (note the worn fringes) with bleached pale centres and a brown sub-terminal band and shaft-streak. The recently replaced scapulars are largely grey-based with an accentuated shaft-streak. 
This individual has moulted some wing-coverts to third generation feathers in the partial autumn moult as 2cy bird:
the two upper tertials have been replaced. The third generation tertials show a grey base with a faint brown wash and a hint of an arrow-head or transversal bar at the tip. The two inner greater coverts were replaced as well and they show the same pattern as the upper tertials. Those new feathers strongly contrast with the barred second generation central and outer greater coverts which are clearly barred white-brown patterned. One inner median coverts has been replaced as well.
The bill is two-toned and the iris is pale.