Catamong Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Nipped out at lunchtime for a quick recce around my estate to see where the birds were feeding, hopefully prior to a crack at them this coming Sunday. Watched a flock of about 250 birds munching their way through some rape, with a constant stream of birds coming in from an adjoining fallow field. Noticed a bird land at the back of the flock that was nearly all white, assumed it was a cheeky feral, but at first glance looked too big, so got the bino's out and lo & behold, it was a white woodie..!! The body and wings were an off white colour all the way up to the neck, which was grey, but with the distinctive white neck markings of an adult bird. I watched it for a couple of minutes, then left the flock to carry on feeding. Thatr's the first time I've ever seen a white, (presumably Albino..??) bird, some friends of mine have shot one, also Old Rooster posted a picture of a young bird shot by one of his mates a year or so ago. Anybody else seen one...?? Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Cat, I've seen a few pale ones. I actually shot one and photographed it but never did see the pic as the camera was knackered. As you probably know a true albino woodpigeon would be extremely rare in the wild because of predators. It would also have pink eyes. The bird i shot was probably "luscastic" (sp) and pale but not a true albino. The light can play tricks and sometimes they can look very white when you look at 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxidermy dave Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 funnily enough i saw one today, the other side of amersham feeding on clover with a flock of about 80_100 not the same one was it?? :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 A creature that is an albino lacks pigment causing it to take on a pinkish-white appearance. These animals often have white hair or skin and red eyes. An animal that is leucistic has pigment, but that pigment is white. It may have partial pigmentation of its more typical coloration and usually has blue eyes. Blue eyes...you sure it wasn't just a dumb blonde :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted February 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 funnily enough i saw one today, the other side of amersham feeding on clover with a flock of about 80_100 not the same one was it?? :( I doubt it, this flock was near St Albans. To get back to Whitebridges comment, it wasn't pure white, like a fantail dove, but sort of "Off White", so unlikely to be a true "albino", but still very unusual, the first I've seen alive in over 30 years of shooting. Cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 To get back to Whitebridges comment, it wasn't pure white, like a fantail dove, but sort of "Off White", so unlikely to be a true "albino", but still very unusual, the first I've seen alive in over 30 years of shooting. Cat. Cat, I've only ever seen two "white" ones. The bird I shot came in to deeks once and i left it because it looked white, it came in again later on and i shot it because it was a woodie. It was just pale but had a few very white primary feathers. The other had a sheltered life and one of the head keepers said he preferred it lived as it was easy to spot. Other woodies reacted fine with it and it flocked with other birds. It was in the north Norfolk area for a year or more, i'm going back 12 years or more. Haven't seen one since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning GTS Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 A couple of years ago just out side Aylesbury, there was a brown crow paired up with a normal black one. I have seen crows with a lot of white/gray on but not brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted February 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 I must have a thing about white birds - I've just got back from a 3 day trip to Picardie, (Somme area), and believe it or not I saw a white heron being mobbed by a normal grey type..!! I'm going to get the bird book out to find out if they're commonplace - anybody got any ideas - I'm sure it wasn't a Stork..?? Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning GTS Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 How about an egret? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browning GTS Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 Most probably Great egret Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackthorn Posted February 11, 2006 Report Share Posted February 11, 2006 A couple of years ago just out side Aylesbury, there was a brown crow paired up with a normal black one. I have seen crows with a lot of white/gray on but not brown. some years ago when i used to do a bit of rooking, there was a rook that used to fly round sounding like he had a sore throat, 3 years on there's a few moor now, lost the land due to a massive decrease in rabbits, no one shoots the rookery any moor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catamong Posted February 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Most probably Great egret Browning GTS, I reckon you're right - looked it up in the book and I'm pretty sure that's what it was. Thanks, Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlander Posted February 13, 2006 Report Share Posted February 13, 2006 Egret most likely...they are becoming quite common here in the UK nowadays. We get some on the marshes around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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