Lesser Black-backed Gull (graellsii & intermedius)

(last update: May 17 2015)

LBBG 3cy W2XNJuly 11 2005, Neeltje Jans, the Netherlands (51.37N 03.41E). Picture Pim Wolf.

W2XN has the BTO metal GA41502 and was ringed at the dock at Barrow which is on the mainland close to the S. Walney colony (54.04N - 03.12W) as a juvenile on 09.07.03. The elapsed time is 733 days and the distance is 539km at 121 degrees. David Sowter, the ringer, sent us a photo of the site. "The large light brown building in the background is where they make the nuclear submarines , so maybe W2XN will also glow in the dark!! We ringed another 320 L. fuscus and L. argentatus on 2 July and 200 at the Ribble estuary colony the week before.
To contact David: 5 The Grove, Penwortham Preston, PR1 0UU, UK.

W2XN is a ‘classic’ 3cy graellsii and returned in NW Europe with old second generation tail, secondaries and primaries. The pre-breeding moult (in winter) included some wing-coverts and upper tertials. The complete moult has commenced: P1-3 are renewed (not visible in the picture). Visible P6-10 are old second generation primaries. Note the brown second generation tail feathers. Worn second generation secondaries are just visible beyond the tips of the central greater coverts. The bill looks already adult-like, with only a minor black marking on the upper mandible.

Picture below by David Sowter: colony location W2XN.