This juvenile/first-basic Scandinavian Herring
Gull (Larus argentatus argentatus) was photographed
in October 1995 in Baltic Germany by Ronald Klein. Ronald comments:
"Finnish-ringed gulls (migratory) change their mantle/scaps
often very late (Febr./March). But Herring Gulls in western Baltic
(mostly non-migratory) are surely nominate and most of them moult
much earlier. It is possible that this is a result of their migration
pattern. Pure, true argenteus exist probably only on British islands
and in Northern France. The gulls between the Netherlands and
Denmark are more intermediate. Argenteus in the Baltic is a rarity.
I read the rings of birds I find at Baltic German rubbish-dumps,
and have seen only a single British and a single Dutch-ringed
Herring Gull. The number of Finnish-ringed birds is nearly 1,500!"
Note that this (presumably locally-bred) bird has already molted
most of its juvenile mantle/scap. feathers:
