unsolvable mystery?

[lou bertalan]

Sorry Lou, it should of course be 3rd gen tertials on this bird. I meant 2nd gen in the hypothesis with this bird being a 1st cycle. Regarding argentatus I think it looks like a fine micha in every respect, from head, bill (classic!) and body shape to pattern in general, not to mention the very nice tail band. I see no real reason to suspect argentatus.

Here´s another 2 cycle micha with retarded pattern in the 3rd gen feathers, quite similar to the bird in discussion:

http://gull-research.org/ylg1cy2cy/2cyo ... 4yred.html

One can imagine that the wounded leg combined with quite harsh winter conditions (as could be expected in Bucharest?) could lead to the bird losing most interest in renewing any feathers before spring.

Cheers
Hans

ok, i can see it well as a very retarded 2nd cycle mich. still, a typical mich bill looks to me different (esp. in 2nd winter february!). many if not most bucharest YLG at this age develop yellow bills with dark subterminal or all dar tip. this one has just a slightly larger pale tip, indicating an older bird. the bill is very thin and weak for a mich (but of course possible). rectrices i think are 2nd generation and upper tertials 3rd gen. though having the look of 2nd gen. ones.
even the retarded 3cy here: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=238 (first 2 pics) looks totally different with its grey mantle and pale eye. and this is how they should really look like when hormones are ok: download/file.php?id=959
and remember this same aged weirdo which was very advanced: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=66&p=578&hilit=assymetric+guy#p398 (same bird: download/file.php?id=576)

thanks again,

lou

[adriaens]

A 2nd winter (3cy!!) mich in february with such limited grey in the scaps?
Would be a first for me!

Theo

My sample from February is not large enough to find all kinds of exceptions.
However, I do have some retarded 2cycle YLGulls from late December.
Here is one, photographed by Pieter Vantieghem in Montpellier, France:



I do not expect much moult between December and February, and therefore think that
a bird like this will still look retarded by early spring.