Images of European Herring Gull Larus argentatus argenteus ringed as White A / Green L as a nestling in July 1986 in the Netherlands. This means that this gull is now in its 30th calendar year and is 29 years old.
Note that after all this time, not only are both color rings still present but they are in excellent condition.
Incidentally, it was ringed 3 days previous to ‘my’ Herring Gull ZDGA, which at the time of writing hasn’t been reported yet in its 30th-calendar year.
All images were taken at IJmuiden beach, the Netherlands, 17 January 2015.
![W[A]G[L]-20140117-1](https://gullstothehorizon.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wagl-20140117-1.jpg)
![W[A]G[L]-20140117-2](https://gullstothehorizon.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wagl-20140117-2.jpg)
![W[A]G[L]-20140117-3](https://gullstothehorizon.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wagl-20140117-3.jpg)
![W[A]G[L]-20140117-4](https://gullstothehorizon.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wagl-20140117-4.jpg)
![W[A]G[L]-20140117-5](https://gullstothehorizon.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wagl-20140117-5.jpg)
![W[A]G[L]-20140117-6](https://gullstothehorizon.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/wagl-20140117-6.jpg)
A short video showing White A / Green L feeding on ensis:
Gulls to the Horizon 
Hoi Maarten Wat een leuke waarneming. Wil je me de life history ook sturen? Hier alleen kolibries en andere veel te kleurrijke vogels 😉 Qua meeuwen alleen laughing gull gezien. En sterns en een fregatvogel. Wel een prachtig en zeer afwisselend land. Groeten JanZ
Hoi Jan. De life history zal ik je doorsturen! Geniet nog even van je vakantie, zo te lezen heb je het goed naar je zin daar.
Groeten,
Maarten
This one looks to be in better condition than your best friend. But does he have a long scar across the right side of his face (in the video), or is that just his plumage markings?
Phil, it’s difficult to say with certainty what it is but I doubt it is a scar.
Looking at some old photos of ZDGA, it seems to be the outline of the skull. Possibly because of a thinner layer of feathers at this old age.