As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday 20 January 2013

2 leucistic blackbirds in Herefordshire


Leucistic blackbirds in Hereford
January 2013. Wildlife Extra has reported on many leucistic and albino animals and birds in the last few years, but I have never seen one myself, until yesterday. As ever, I wasn't looking for them, or for anything else. I had just dropped by daughter at college and I stopped somewhere I have never been before to walk the dog for 10 minutes.

I caught a flash of something unusual as I walked passed some scrub. A very bright black and white bird, all the wrong size and shape for a blackbird. Naturally, as I was in an urban park I didn't have binoculars or a camera, so I retrieved the 'emergency' camera from the cars glove box, and went back in search.

To cut a long story............ There were two leucistic blackbirds within 30 yards of each other, presumably from the same brood. They were in the scrub, and I didn't have the greatest camera with me (the photos are decidedly average, and that is being harsh on average), but at least I can now join the leucistic club.

Perfect camouflage?
I will go back and try again, but it is now snowing, so for just a few days, they now have perfect camouflage. 


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