Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), 2cy, 14.6.2009, Kuhmo, Oulu Province, Finland

1st-summer Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus).

Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 13.6.2009, Kuhmo, Oulu Province, Finland

Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 6.8.2010, Hammeren, Bornholm

This Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus) was photographed at Hammeren on northwest Bornholm where two pairs are breeding in the local Herring Gull colony. It was seen flying back and forth along the cliffs on an overcast cloudy day and due to the weather it was hardly possible to take any well exposed photos of the flying bird up against the grey skies. Therefore the colour on the upperparts looks rather pale in some photos, but note that yet there is hardly any contrast between the black primary tips and the remaining dark upperparts.

Other features supporting ssp. fuscus is the overall slim and elongated appearance with slender body and long narrow wings with highly pointed wingtip. The dark upperparts also have a classical brownish wash on the coverts, there is only a small white mirror on P10 and whereas there is no white mirror on P9 beside a tiny white dot in the left wing.

Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuhmo, Oulu Province, Finland

Putative Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus) photographed on Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, East Finland.

The bird represents the paler range of nominate fuscus, but is due to the typical elongated jizz a Baltic Gull. On some Baltic Gulls breeding in Finland the mantle is clearly paler than the primary tips.




It has a small mirror on P10, located quite far from the tip of the feather. There is no mirror on P9. Unfortunately the pattern of black on P3-P5 was not seen.

The primary projection is long (primary projection:tarus ratio 1.2).

Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland

All photos have been taken in east Finland and most likely represent nominate fuscus, but while the birds appear from the photographs to almost certainly be fuscus, they do not ‘have’ to be such. The problem of separating fuscus, graellsii and intermedius is complicated by the recent discovery that graellsii and intermedius occur occasionally in Finland. This has been proven by the arrival in Finland of birds ringed as pulli in England, the Netherlands and Norway. Thus, it could be argued even though it is a rather extreme stance that none of the adult Finnish “fuscus” pictured here can be considered as proven.




Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 4 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos



Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 1 photo




Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 2 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos





Baltic Gull (Larus fuscus fuscus), ad, 14.6.2009, Kuusamo Rubbish Dump, Oulu Province, Finland, 3 photos