This bird was the most striking of all the first winter birds that I saw. Its darker general appearance than any other 1st winter bird caused it to stand out. The centre of the tertials and older scapulars were blackish like the juveniles photographed at Porto Moniz only more worn with the lighter fringes much reduced. It also had a "Black-headed Gull" type hood of dense streaking. This pattern of head streaking was not uncommon in the birds I saw. This represents the extreme end of the cline.