Lesser Black-backed Gulls (L f graellsii/intermedius)

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus f fuscus

1: © Ruud Altenburg, 25-05-07. 2cy graellsii-type Lesser Black-backed Gull. A rather advanced bird that seems to show a fully grown P3; P7-10 are still juvenile. This is a difficult to identify bird; there's a remote possibility that this an exceptionally dark Yellow-legged Gull.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus f fuscus

2: © Cezary Pioro, 17-05-07; 3-5: © Ruud Altenburg, 17-05-07. Adult, 3cy and 4cy graellsii/intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gulls. At least on one day, graellsii/intermedius Lesser Black-backed Gulls outnumbered fuscus, which should be the more common migrant in inland Poland. Although it's nearly impossible to separate (sub)adult LBBG from Heuglin's Gull L heuglini, 3cy birds should not pose great identification problems. Structurally all birds I observed on Łubna are identical to the birds in the Netherlands and also the mantle lacked the bluish tone of heuglini. In my opinion, all birds on this page can safely be identified as graellsii/intermedius.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus f fuscus

6: © Ruud Altenburg, 23-05-07. Typical 3cy bird.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus f fuscus

7: © Ruud Altenburg, 25-05-07. This bird is difficult to age but probably a 4cy.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus f intermedius

8: © Ruud Altenburg, 21-05-03. This 4cy was the only western LBBG observed in 2003.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus f fuscus

10: © Ruud Altenburg, 17-05-07. Probably a pair, the bird on the left being a male.

Lesser Black-backed Gull - Larus f fuscus