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Mon, 9 Apr 2007 20:10:23 EDT |
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Kim Kaufman, Sandy Burris, and I birded the Magee boardwalk this morning.
Very few birds were seen but we did see, and hear, a number of Fox Sparrows.
Kim spotted one unusual Fox Sparrow with large white splotches on its body.
It stayed deep in the brush and only allowed us a few brief looks.
This condition is know as leucism. Leucistic animals lack normal pigment in
all or part of their body. Albinos lack all pigment, including the pigment
in their eyes which appear pink or red due to the presence of blood. Google
"leucistic and bird" or "leucism and bird" and you can find some interesting
photos. Perhaps someone could get a shot of our bird. FYI, the opposite
of leucistic is melanistic. Melanistic animals are darker than normal, having
excess pigment in their bodies.
On our way home, Sandy and I saw at least 70 Great Egrets in a small marshy
pond west of Medusa Marsh in the tiny community of Bay Bridge which lies on
the eastern outskirts of the larger town of Bayview. There were many other
Great Egrets in the surrounding marshes, but nothing to rival this
concentration.
Sheryl Young
Sandusky
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