Textual Notes
Photographs
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canaries, 26 September 2000, third-winter taking off
P1-P8 new, P9 and P10 growing, P10 with mirror, tail with very slight mottling, P4 with spot on outer web, P5 with broad band and black extending up shaft on outer web, P6 with much black on outer web, P7 and P8 with much black on both webs.
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Canaries, 26 September 2000, third-winter walking
Same bird. Fairly dusky head, dull yellow bill with rather small and wane gonydeal spot, short dull yellow legs, darkish-looking mantle in evening light.
Puerto de Mogán, Gran Canaria, Canaries, 30 September 2000, third-winter in late moult
Very retarded moult with P1-P2 new, P7-P10 old, P3 growing and P4-P6 missing. There is extensive black on outer four primaries. The head is fairly pale except for an area around the eye. P10 carries a small mirror indicating, if this bird is third-winter, that it developed a small mirror in its second-winter. The outer tail feathers also carry slight dark markings indicating a bird moulting out of second-summer to third-winter. This is a somewhat puzzling bird. With its solid structure it looks like a typical Dark form bird but the moult is unusual. It could possibly be a fourth-winter with the mirror on the old P10 developed in its third-winter.
Puerto de Mogán, Gran Canaria, Canaries, 30 September 2000, third-winter in late moult
Same bird as above. This photograph shows more clearly the remnant tail markings and some faint markings on the underwing near the leading edge.
Ponta de Cruz, Madeira, 27 March 2002, third-summer in flight
Medium sized mirror on P10, none P9, tail all white, various dark markings along leading edge.
Caleta de Fustes, Fuerteventura, April 2000, third-summer in flight
Essaouira, Morocco, April 2000, third-summer (right) and adult perched
Essaouira, Morocco, April 2000, third-summer perched looking upwards
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, May 2000, third-summer in flight
Santa Cruz, La Palma, Canaries, 21 April 2003, third-summer perched
Some darkish markings on the greater coverts indicate this bird is not fully adult. The legs are a rather washed-out yellow-flesh. The bill shows a broad dark subterminal band. The mantle is a dark blue-grey. The rear end is relatively attenuated.
