Dear Janeanne,

During the ELWAS Osprey Festival at Juanita Bay Park last month, I was told about a male partial-albino Red-winged Blackbird that was spotted by Hugh Jennings. Your description sounds like what I was told by Nancy Roberts. Another word for the avian partial-albinism is leucotis/leucosis (sp?) if you want to search the Net for more info. Hope this helps! I'm sure others can provide more information too. Hugh???

Happy Birding!

Karla

Karla Grimwood
Carnation (Lake Marcel), WA
p_grimwood at msn.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Janeanne Houston
Sent: Saturday, June 08, 2002 3:40 PM
To: tweeters
Subject: Unusual Juanita Bay Redwing

I've been observing an unusual male Redwing Blackbird at Juanita Bay Park
this week in the meadow between the boardwalks. I've made three visits, and
returned today with my husband. This morning we heard it singing the usual
Redwing tune. It also has the usual red and yellow markings on its wings,
but there is a thin line of white when the wings are folded, and large red
patches in flight. This bird has a white belly, white undertail, and white
uppertail with a central black stripe, and a white rump. The breast has
dark spots, in a somewhat regular vertical pattern. This bird looks quite
spectacular in flight, and the white undersides give it the appearance of
being "hooded." Mantle is also lightly spotted. I'm very curious to hear if
any of you have observed Redwings with such odd, but beautiful plumage? I
don't own a camera that would photograph it, but he is a very cooperative
poser.
Cheerio,
Janeanne Houston

"As long as the ancient harmonies were sung, the universe would not entirely
lose its joy." - Madeleine L'Engle, "A Swiftly Tilting Planet"
www.sogreatajoy.com
houstojc at plu.edu