June 21st 2004

One of the earliest moulting images of Leggy. She is one year old and approximately 6 weeks into moult to 2nd-winter which began in early May. She has shed some inner tail feathers as well as inner primaries and various wing coverts. The blotchy, tatty appearance is typical at this moult stage, produced by extreme wear of the remaining old feathers, as well as gaps produced by lost feathers. Also note that four old outer primary flight feathers still remain, awaiting further growth of the inner primaries, so that flight is retained for the duration of the moult.