A Visit From an Albino Robin

  I'm reposting this. I'm looking at the date and can't believe it will be 2 years on Gather in a couple of months!

   Last year I had a surprise visit from a very special bird - an albino robin. I never knew such a thing existed until I satisfied my curiosity about him and looked it up on the internet. Evidently partially albino birds, robins in particular, are somewhat common but a true albino robin is probably a once in a lifetime sighting. What makes him a true albino? His all white plumage, his pink eyes, legs and beak qualify him. Although his beak and legs didn't look so pink, they most likely were because everything else fit the bill. (No pun intended.)

  I first noticed him when I was gardening. How could I miss him? The really extrodinary thing about this fellow was he had no fear of me. These shots were not taken far away with a telephoto lens. No, the bird was within a few feet of me at most. I felt sorry for him so I was throwing him worms as I weeded and he proceeded to accompany me around the garden.

    I worried about the little guy. He didin't seem able or wanting to fly so I made sure I kept my cats in the house. When I went inside, it was as if he were waiting for me to come back out. I wondered what if the other birds didn't accpt him as one of their own due to his discoloration. What ever the case, it seemed he had adopted me.

  I had to abandon the bird for the night when it got dark. I did worry about him but didn't want to interfere with nature too much. He seemed to be a juvinile and I know to let them be and usually they will fly off in time.  Had I known about it then, I would have taken him to a local wild animal shelter I discovered a year later.

   He was still in my yard the next day and greeted me with his cheep-cheep. I went about my outdoor work again and threw him some worms every now and then. Sometime during that day he disappeared. I can only hope he was able to fly and went off in search of a new home.