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While darker backed Lesser Black-backed Gulls are not so exceptional among late autumn and winter flocks, it was surprising to find one in the midst of a colony of breeding graellsii in June. In addition to the strikingly blackish upperparts (very close in tone to Greater Black-backed Gulls alongside and clearly darker than any of the graellsii) this bird was distinctly smaller, proportionately smaller-headed and slimmer overall than the graellsii, its appearance being suggestive of so-called Baltic Gull L f fuscus. Early onset of primary moult however indicative of intermedius. The bird was observed displaying to graellsii but it did not appear to be attached to any other bird.
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