Comments on: An Albino Goldfinch?! http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/ Just another nature blog from New England! Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:57:09 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Jeanne Meyer http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-706 Jeanne Meyer Mon, 24 Nov 2008 00:11:52 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-706 Spotted this odd looking bird yesterday morning and this morning. I called an avid birder and she was unable to give me an answer, we were suspicious that it maybe some sort of Albino Goldfinch. He appeared with other Goldfinches but they aggressively chased him off the feeders. Thanks to your pictures we were able to identify it as a "Leucistic" a brand new term for us also. Hope he comes back! Spotted this odd looking bird yesterday morning and this morning. I called an avid birder and she was unable to give me an answer, we were suspicious that it maybe some sort of Albino Goldfinch. He appeared with other Goldfinches but they aggressively chased him off the feeders. Thanks to your pictures we were able to identify it as a “Leucistic” a brand new term for us also. Hope he comes back!

]]> By: Janis McElhaney http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-673 Janis McElhaney Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:33:08 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-673 I took a picture of what I truly believe is an Albino Goldfinch, It the greenish head (color for this time of year, black/white wings and the rest of the body is white, breast and back. Could not get a really close shot but the white is as white as can be. I took a picture of what I truly believe is an Albino Goldfinch, It the greenish head (color for this time of year, black/white wings and the rest of the body is white, breast and back. Could not get a really close shot but the white is as white as can be.

]]> By: Janet Wilkins http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-621 Janet Wilkins Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:03:03 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-621 Janey, glad I could be of help! It's so much fun when a "new" bird appears at our feeders, even if that "new" bird is really an "old" one dressed in new clothes. Wow! Audubon folks who can't help with ID? Leucistic was a new word for me too. But, I can't tell you whether or not the plumage changes in the breeding season ... unless, of course, it did change I just couldn't tell!!! Hmm! Thanks for the visit, hope you come back again soon! Janey, glad I could be of help! It’s so much fun when a “new” bird appears at our feeders, even if that “new” bird is really an “old” one dressed in new clothes.

Wow! Audubon folks who can’t help with ID?

Leucistic was a new word for me too. But, I can’t tell you whether or not the plumage changes in the breeding season … unless, of course, it did change I just couldn’t tell!!! Hmm!

Thanks for the visit, hope you come back again soon!

]]> By: Janey Elliott http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-620 Janey Elliott Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:26:07 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-620 I'm so glad I found this site! I had a goldfinch much like the one in your photo on my feeder this morning. He was obviously a goldfinch, but I've never seen coloring like that. His black and white wingbars were exactly the same as the other finches, but the rest of his body and head were sort of a piebald arrangement of white and that same rusty color -- very assymetrical. Even the folks at Seattle Audobon couldn't tell me what I'd seen, but it didn't take much time on Google to figure it out. And learn a new word: leucistic. I hope he stays the winter -- I'm dying to know what he'll look like when the breeding plumage comes back! I’m so glad I found this site! I had a goldfinch much like the one in your photo on my feeder this morning. He was obviously a goldfinch, but I’ve never seen coloring like that. His black and white wingbars were exactly the same as the other finches, but the rest of his body and head were sort of a piebald arrangement of white and that same rusty color — very assymetrical. Even the folks at Seattle Audobon couldn’t tell me what I’d seen, but it didn’t take much time on Google to figure it out. And learn a new word: leucistic. I hope he stays the winter — I’m dying to know what he’ll look like when the breeding plumage comes back!

]]> By: Janet Wilkins http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-331 Janet Wilkins Tue, 22 Jan 2008 18:06:35 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-331 Hi Robin, Wow! This is the second time in just a couple of days that I've heard from someone spotting an albino goldfinch! They are such a thrill to see, I'm glad that my photos were a help. Thanks, too, for visiting my blog! Hi Robin,

Wow! This is the second time in just a couple of days that I’ve heard from someone spotting an albino goldfinch! They are such a thrill to see, I’m glad that my photos were a help. Thanks, too, for visiting my blog!

]]> By: Robin Warshaw http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-330 Robin Warshaw Tue, 22 Jan 2008 15:48:01 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-330 Hi--I just saw what I believe to be an albino goldfinch in my neighbor's yard (southeastern PA) and didn't know if there even was such a thing. So I hopped online and found your blog. Thanks so much. The bird I just saw was definitely white, but with the classic goldfinch markings. Although I was trying to see it through a window with blinds, I managed to grab my binoculars for a few seconds' view. It was definitely a goldfinch and definitely white. It appeared to be on its own, but flying around with house finches and robins. I thought it could have been an escaped cockatiel, but when I looked through the binocs, it clearly was a goldfinch. Thanks for posting your photos. I wasn't as quick. All best, Robin Hi–I just saw what I believe to be an albino goldfinch in my neighbor’s yard (southeastern PA) and didn’t know if there even was such a thing. So I hopped online and found your blog. Thanks so much.

The bird I just saw was definitely white, but with the classic goldfinch markings. Although I was trying to see it through a window with blinds, I managed to grab my binoculars for a few seconds’ view. It was definitely a goldfinch and definitely white. It appeared to be on its own, but flying around with house finches and robins. I thought it could have been an escaped cockatiel, but when I looked through the binocs, it clearly was a goldfinch.

Thanks for posting your photos. I wasn’t as quick.
All best,
Robin

]]> By: Janet Wilkins http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-328 Janet Wilkins Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:33:48 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-328 Hi Marilyn, Well, I live on Massachusetts North Shore, just a few miles away from Plum Island and the Parker River Wildlife Refuge. I keep a couple of the commercially available "tube type" feeders specifically made for thistle seed. This little goldfinch, however, seemed to prefer eating off the ground where much of the thistle seed ends up anyway. Thanks for visiting my blog and taking a look at my "special" visitor! I hope that you are enjoying yours as much as I am enjoying mine! Hi Marilyn,

Well, I live on Massachusetts North Shore, just a few miles away from Plum Island and the Parker River Wildlife Refuge. I keep a couple of the commercially available “tube type” feeders specifically made for thistle seed. This little goldfinch, however, seemed to prefer eating off the ground where much of the thistle seed ends up anyway. Thanks for visiting my blog and taking a look at my “special” visitor! I hope that you are enjoying yours as much as I am enjoying mine!

]]> By: Marilyn http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-327 Marilyn Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:23:34 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-327 Hi, We live in Shingle Springs, foothills of northern California and we just spotted an albino goldfinch on our thistle sock with a lot of other goldfinches. First time we've seen this and we've had the sock for several years. The sock is very popular. Where abouts was this one seen? Hi, We live in Shingle Springs, foothills of northern California and we just spotted an albino goldfinch on our thistle sock with a lot of other goldfinches. First time we’ve seen this and we’ve had the sock for several years. The sock is very popular. Where abouts was this one seen?

]]> By: Janet Wilkins http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-229 Janet Wilkins Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:47:26 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-229 To Julie, Thank you for helping me to identify "my" little bird. I've got to admit though, as I did in an email to you, that the term "leucistic" was a new one for me. However, now I understand why there's that little rust color in this bird. In addition, I should have thought about the fact that birds prefer the company of their own kind. Thanks again for the help! To montucky, I hope that this little bird stays around too! It did come to my feeders after the snow storm that we had last Sunday evening but I haven't seen it since. Then again, I had seen the bird earlier in the summer but then it seemed to disappear. But, I'm "thinking positive" here! It will come back!!! To wrjones, Thank you for the link to Drawing the Motmot! I like Debby's site and have visited it before. In fact, she and I are members of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and it is because of a piece that she wrote in the Guild's newsletter that I started "blogging!" But, thanks again! To Julie,

Thank you for helping me to identify “my” little bird. I’ve got to admit though, as I did in an email to you, that the term “leucistic” was a new one for me. However, now I understand why there’s that little rust color in this bird. In addition, I should have thought about the fact that birds prefer the company of their own kind. Thanks again for the help!

To montucky,

I hope that this little bird stays around too! It did come to my feeders after the snow storm that we had last Sunday evening but I haven’t seen it since. Then again, I had seen the bird earlier in the summer but then it seemed to disappear. But, I’m “thinking positive” here! It will come back!!!

To wrjones,

Thank you for the link to Drawing the Motmot! I like Debby’s site and have visited it before. In fact, she and I are members of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and it is because of a piece that she wrote in the Guild’s newsletter that I started “blogging!” But, thanks again!

]]> By: wrjones http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-222 wrjones Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:04:31 +0000 http://janetwilkins.wordpress.com/2007/12/02/an-albino-goldfinch/#comment-222 These are some cute little birds. Janet you might be interested in this woman's blog. She has some wonderful drawings of birds. http://drawingthemotmot.wordpress.com/ These are some cute little birds. Janet you might be interested in this woman’s blog. She has some wonderful drawings of birds.

http://drawingthemotmot.wordpress.com/

]]>