If I lean slightly to the left, I can look out of the window by the computer and see what's going on at the bird table - at least in Autumn and Winter I can. During the warmer months, catering for our feathered friends ceases and they can feed themselves by more traditional means. In the last year or so one of our common visitors to the bird table has been a little less than common, for we have a local white blackbird. He (I think he) isn't all that rare nor is he completely white - a small surf will soon google up plenty of them. White blackbirds aren't albinos nor are they a case of leucism (reduced pigment - which does happen and produces a fawn coloured blackbird) but are just a bit of a genetic mutation.
The more usual candidates for the bird table - starlings and, for the observant, a sparrow with his head buried in the feeder at the bottom of the picture.
Down by the site of the original castle in Kirkcudbright there is a blackbird which has just a little bit of white colouration around his neck.
And just because she'd brown and not a little bit mutated, there's no reason why Mrs Blackbird shouldn't get a picture.
7 comments:
I like the white blackbird. I passed it on to my daughter who is an avid birder to see if she ever heard of such an animal.
Piebald blackbird! how curious...I've never seen one like that before....most interesting :)
Interesting! Are they like this permanently or do they change with the seasons?
Is it a paradox for a blackbird to be white.You're never too old to learn are you.I've gone 67 years and this is the first I've heard of a white blackbird.
Good photography.
Thanks for your comments people - this is certainly the first one I've seen although there would appear to be plenty around the country.
Dave, it stays this colour all year and the black ones stay black during the winter.
I have never seen a white blackbird either, but its great to see a photo of one! I love blackbirds, they are such great birds :) Hope you have a good weekend :)
what a wonderful white blackbird, how pretty!
My parents have a blackbird with a white eyebrow that visits their garden
Post a Comment