Yellow-legged Gulls in Western Mediterranean: Mediterranean michahellis
Textual Notes:
Features of Western Mediterranean michahellis
Photographs:
Adults
Bonifacio, Corsica, 29 July 2003 adult in flight 2
White tip to P10, large mirror on P9, P7 is missing, P6 descending, P5 with complete thinnish black band, P4 unmarked.
Bonifacio, Corsica, 29 July 2003 adult in flight 3
White tip to P10, P9 no mirror, P6 and P7 missing, P5 descending.
Bonifacio, Corsica, 29 July 2003 adult in flight 5
White tip to P10 (but tip obviously frayed), P9 small mirror, P8 and P7 old, P5 and P6 missing, P4 growing, P1-P3 new,
Nice, France, 20 July 2003 adult in flight 2
Small mirror P10, no mirror P9, P8-P5 old, solid triangle on wingtip, P5 with black band, moult on inner primaries not easy to assess but possibly P4 almost fully grown, P1-P3 new.
Nice, France, 20 July 2003 adult standing 1
Heavy build, particularly on bill and legs. Mantle colour is a dull ash grey. Legs are a fairly bright ochre and are fairly short,
Nice, France, 20 July 2003 adult standing 2
The bill looks quite heavy in this photo with prominent orange-red spot. Mantle appears very much darker in shade.
Nice, France, 20 July 2003 adult standing 3
Reddish orbital ring, mantle looks paler in strong sunlight. Head appears quite rounded and legs are short.
Pinarellu, Corsica, 27 July 2003 adult standing 2
Quite a classical shape looking heavy (like argentatus) at the front and attenuated (like graellsii) at the rear. This one does show longer legs and the bill has a prominent gonydeal angle, steep culmen and thick width. The head is also boxier.
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 adult in flight 10
This and the next three adults were flying in/out of the Yellow-legged Gull colony here in the salines (see below). Broad white tip to P10, large mirror on P9, P7 and P8 old, P5 and P6 missing, P1-P4 new.
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 adult in flight 11
Mirror on P10 on left wing, only white tip left on P10 on right wing due to wear (note shortness of P10 relative to P9), tiny mirror on P9 on right wing, slightly larger on left, P8 old, P7 missing, P6 and P7 missing, P5 growing with broad band, P1-P4 new with no black on P4.
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 adult in flight 4
Mirror on P10, no mirror P9, P8 old, P7 missing, P1-P4 new.
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 adult in flight 5
Mirror on P10, P9 mirror on right wing, P7 and P8 old, P6 missing, P5 descending with broad band, P1-P4 new, P4 with no black.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 28 July 2003 adult in étang 1
Long ochre legs, bold bright yellow bill with prominent gonydeal angle and steep culmen, boxy head, quite a classical michahellis from structural point of view, white tip on P10.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 30 July 2003 adult in étang 1
Same bird from front, giving better impression of long legs.
Santa Teresa, Sardinia, 29 July 2003 adult in flight 2
P10 medium-sized mirror, P9 no mirror, P8 old, P7 missing, P6 descending, P5 new with thin band particularly on inner web, P1-P4 new and unmarked.
Santa Teresa, Sardinia, 29 July 2003 adult in flight 7
P10 with complete white tip, P9 large mirror, P7 and P8 old, P6 missing, P5 descending with broad subterminal black band, P1-P4 new and unmarked with black.
Third-summers
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 26 July 2003 3s in étang in flight 1
Medium mirror P10, none P9, P7 and P8 old, P1-P4 new, P5 and P6 both descending. Mottling over plumage suggests this age.
Second-summers
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 2s in flight
In transition to third-winter; P8-P10 old, worn primary tips on P9 and P10; P1-P4 new with spot on outer web of P4; P5 showing broad band, P6 and P7 missing.
Nice, France, 20 July 2003 1s in flight 1
P8-P10 old and solidly dark, P1-P4 new, much mottling on underwing and secondary coverts.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 25 July 2003 1s in flight
P1-P3 new with no black, P4 new with black band, P5-P8 new and very dark. P9 and P10 missing, pale yellow bill with dark tip. Quite heavy markings on belly, obvious very pale primary panel.
Juveniles
There is a Yellow-legged Gull colony at the salines, Porto Vecchio, Corsica. This was visited on 24 July (30 adults, 40 juveniles) and 28 July (40 adults, 60 juveniles). A photograph of the colony is available here
Other juveniles were found at an étang (brackish pond on the edge of the sea) at San Ciprianu, Corsica (photograph here), and in the harbour of Santa Teresa, Sardinia.
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 juvenile in flight 1
Typical bill (thick, prominent gonydeal angle, steep culmen), prominent dark area around eye, white upper-tail.
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 juvenile in flight 3
P10 slightly shorter than P9, quite heavy streaking on sides of breast and belly, dark eye patch, fairly obvious pale primary panel.
Porto Vecchio. Corsica, 28 July 2003 juvenile in flight 5
Dark underwing coverts, pale undertail, head and primary panel; this bird appears to be very long-winged
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 juvenile in flight 6
This bird appears very dark but still shows a pale primary panel. The head appears as very pale in the bright sunlight except for the eye patch.
Porto Vecchio, Corsica, 28 July 2003 juvenile in flight 7
Dark eye spot, white head, pale primary panel and gleaming white uppertail.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 22 July 2003 juvenile in flight étang 2
Strong secondary bar, weaker greater coverts bar, heavy bill with prominent gonydeal angle and steep culmen, fairly clear pale primary panel, gleaming white uppertail, pale head and dark eye patch. Mantle feathers are 1st generation towards rear.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 22 July 2003 juvenile in flight étang 4
Heavily marked underwing coverts. Body is quite pale though there is some streaking on the side of the breast.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 22 July 2003 juvenile in flight étang 6
Very dark brown overall effect on upper side with heavy secondary bar and less obvious greater coverts bar. Scapulars are almost entirely 1st generation being dark with narrow pale fringes and tips. Tail is a gleaming white with broad subterminal band of uniform width. The tail appears to be still growing suggesting the bird has not been fledged long.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 22 July 2003 juvenile standing étang 1
Dark eye patch extending up to nape, fairly heavy breast streaking, pale forehead, dark bill, long fleshy legs.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 22 July 2003 juvenile standing étang 3
Grey-brown mantle, long fleshy legs (about equal to body above), very pale head and upper breast.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 22 July 2003 juvenile standing étang 6
Tertials show generally narrow pale fringes to dark feathers with two feathers showing slightly broader white fringes. Note long legs and heavy bill of typical shape.
San Ciprianu, Corsica, 23 July 2003 juvenile swimming étang 1
Relatively broad fringe on one tertial is shown here. Scapulars are 1st generation showing scaley pattern, being largely dark with pale edges and tips.
Santa Teresa, Sardinia, 29 July 2003 juvenile in flight 2
Pale primary panel fairly distinct, white uppertail very obvious, pale head, dark eye patch, some streaking on belly and breast.
Santa Teresa, Sardinia, 29 July 2003 juvenile standing 1
Very long legs, almost like stilts, fairly uniform mantle, dark eye patch, white head, heavy black bill.
Santa Teresa, Sardinia, 29 July 2003 juvenile standing 2
Tertials have broad white tips with hardly any pale fringe visible. Legs are long, about height of body above, dusky wash on top of head. The 1st generation feathers are being moulted and being replaced by less contrasting 2nd generation ones.
Santa Teresa, Sardinia, 29 July 2003 juvenile swimming 3
Scapulars are in transition from 1st generation to 2nd generation showing paler less distinct markings. Coverts are mainly 1st generation. The tertials show a fairly broad white fringe.
Santa Teresa Sardinia, 29 July 2003 juvenile swimming 5
This bird shows on scapulars a mixture of 1st (mainly dark with pale tip and fringe) and 2nd (paler, less clearly marked) generation feathers. The tertials are dark with a distinct white fringe.
© Nick Rossiter 2005
email: nick.rossiter1 at btinternet.com
