LBBG adult EC40, Missouriweg, Maasvlakte, the Netherlands, March 30 2002.

An adult bird ringed left leg orange EC40. This bird was ringed as a pullus on the nest, July 1996. When those rings become older they are hard to read; the orange turns brown and merges with the black code, especially the rings used this year. When ring data become available, they will be added as soon as possible. This is probably a male, as the dominant expression suggests. There are no moult gaps visible in adult plumage by March, as this individual shows. It appears pretty neat, with a slight wear over the wing coverts, especially the innermost coverts. Some of the lowest lower scapulars have a very fresh look: pure grey without a brown hue and neat fringes. This also applies to the central greater coverts, which were probably moulted last.
Spring 2003, EC40 was present again at the exactly the same spot in the colony at Missouriweg. It remains to be seen if it will breed here, as last year over 500 nests were destroyed by construction works in the harbour during the breeding season in May. Interestingly, EC40 seems to be mating another ringed individual: E467...