Today at Fern Cove on Vashon Island I saw a white Spotted Sandpiper running around with the Western and Least Sandpipers. It's bill and legs looked bright yellow and a few of the spots from breeding plumage showed but otherwise the bird was pure white. Can someone refresh my memory as to the correct term for this, is it albino or leucistic and what's the mechanism that causes it?

Ed Swan
Vashon Island
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