[mou] Fwd: Franklin/laughing gull

[marshall howe]

"First" summer is technically the second summer, i.e., one year or so after
hatching or, in banding terminology, SY.  I'm not sure where this
terminology comes from, but Sibley uses it in his guide and shows the
sequence of gull plumages from juvenile on.  In traditional
(Humphrey-Parkes) molt terminology, this plumage is the first "alternate"
plumage, as opposed to the first "basic" plumage, which is synonymous with
first fall or first winter plumage (i.e., the first plumage following
juvenile plumage).
Clear enough?!

Marshall Howe

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jim Fitzpatrick <jim at carpenternaturecenter.org>
Date: Sun, Jun 15, 2008 at 1:04 PM
Subject: [mou] Franklin/laughing gull
To: mou-net at moumn.org


 To Kim and all the gull discussion folks, I have a question of terminology
relating to the calendar. Kim discusses plumage of a first summer bird. What
does the term "first summer" mean? As a bird-bander I am familiar with
Hatching Year and second year because all birds ages are keyed to the year
end. Does "first summer" refer to its year after being a juvenile? Is there
then a "first fall" term and to what would that refer? Do these terms mix
anyone else up or is it just me? I hope you don't think this is a wise crack
because I am not very good with gulls and I want to be able to understand
the identifying marks and the meaningful timing. Would it not be easier to
use the HY, SY, TY etc. terminology or am I missing a more important point
in the season/year/age/molt question?  Jim Fitzpatrick


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