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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