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Geelpootmeeuw | Yellow-legged Gull | Larus michahellis
Geelpootmeeuw | Yellow-legged Gull | Larus michahellis
1cy Yellow-legged Gull / Larus michahellis, Westkapelle - sea dike (The Netherlands) on 11 July 2008Comment at picture(s)Yellow-legged GullE-mail picture(s) Yellow-legged GullPrint picture(s) Yellow-legged Gull
The first juvenile gulls on the sea dike of Westkapelle are mostly Yellow-legged Gulls, as with this gull. Note the very fresh juvenile plumage. The greater coverts are well barred, but the bill-shape, head pattern, pattern on the tertials, coverts and scapulars, long pointed wing without white primary tips and the dark red-brown base-color of the coverts are good character of a juvenile michahellis.
reactie
From: Ies Meulmeester, Thursday 18 February 2010, 20:15
Note the pale window which is created by the inner 5 primaries and the tapering tail-bar. A bit atypical are the pale areas (looks like "apical spots") on the outer webs of the inner primaries.
reactie
From: Jan Jörgensen, Thursday 18 February 2010, 23:26
Hi Ies.

The shape and size of the 'apical spot' on p5 looks quite normal, seen occasionally in michahellis - and cachinnans. When it comes to p4-2 the 'apical spot' looks bigger than usual, like a big blotch, creating together with the pale inner web an almost argentatus/argenteus pattern, although with broader subterminal dark markings if you like.

http://www.helsinki.fi/~rauste/juvmic/y_bulg/index2.html

Cheers

Jan
reactie
From: Ies Meulmeester, Friday 19 February 2010, 20:53
Thanks Jan for your input, but what I mean is that mostly (as you said sometimes a bit unjustified) the 'apical spots' are more associated with 1cy Caspian Gulls than Yellow-legged Gulls. For example see this typical michahellis pattern or as show on the many picture at the site of Visa Rauste!

Regards, Ies
reactie
From: Jan Jörgensen, Monday 22 February 2010, 00:18
Well, you are of course right that the mentioned pattern is more frequent in cachinnans, it just didn´t come out so clear.

Jan
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