Hi Tweets,

To add a little more to this discussion, the bird at Juanita may not be the
same one that was there last year. I have been observing it since it
appeared about a month ago, and using Margaret Saint Clair?s photos from
last year for comparison, there are some apparent differences. The most
obvious is that the ?02 bird had white underwing coverts, and the ?03 one
does not. There are a few other more subtle differences, e.g. the
breast/belly streaking, brightness of the white feathers (?02 bright, ?03
yellowish), that lead me to believe they are different birds. Although I
think molting could explain a slight difference in shade, the absence of
melanin one year and its presence the next doesn?t seem possible.

A link to ?02:
http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/detailfs?userid={26BDF7CD-4E75-4880
-BF19-C6CFB796ED54}&ndx=35&slideshow=0&AlbumId={4942E541-9C74-4AAC-AFDC-5EDF
5CF5A31A}&GroupId={9633CB70-E85A-4AD1-AF6D-1D7296AC126E}&screenheight=768
<http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/detailfs?userid=%7B26BDF7CD-4E75-4
880-BF19-C6CFB796ED54%7D&ndx=35&slideshow=0&AlbumId=%7B4942E541-9C74-4AAC-AF
DC-5EDF5CF5A31A%7D&GroupId=%7B9633CB70-E85A-4AD1-AF6D-1D7296AC126E%7D&screen
height=768>


Could this year?s ?version? be the progeny of ?02, returning to his natal
area to breed? And could/would someone give me a definitive answer as to
whether this is leucism or partial albinism? I?ve read and heard
conflicting definitions.

Thanks,

MaryFrances Mathis
Kirkland



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