Mediterranean Gull (L. melanocephalus)
(last update:
Mediterranean Gull 7cy 3J84 January 04 2010, Le Portel / Boulogne-sur-Mer, NW France. Picture: Jean-Michel Sauvage.
Ringed as pullus on 31 May 2004 at Antwerpen,Belgium. It was trapped again at Le-Portel, Pas-de-Calais on 03 August 2004, when it recioved ring Green 3OVT. Again it was trapped, on 24 May 2006 at Antwerpen, Belgium when it was breeding, and the ring was changed to White 3J84. This bird has also been recorded in the colony at Oye-Plage, Pas-de-Calais in 2006 & 2008.
From June to September, a complete moult takes place, into so-called "adult winter" plumage. The head pattern resembles the pattern in first winter birds, with blackish mask behind the eye. The mantle, scapulars, tertials and all the wing-coverts are replaced for plain pearl-grey feathers. The secondaries are completely white. The adult primaries are shiny pearly-grey, flashing white at a distance. There is a black line along the outer-web of P10 (and sometimes on P9 as well). Secondaries, under-wing and tail all completely white. The bare part coloration in adult plumage: Iris brown, orbital ring red or orangey-red, the bill red or orangey-red with a black bill-band and a yellowish tip and the legs dull reddish or dark. There is some variation in 3cy and 4cy wing-tip patterns.
