White blackbirds

Looking out my kitchen window, I sometimes think I'm living in an aviary. Due largely to the fact that I have no cat-keeping neighbours (or any other kind of neighbours, for that matter) and the hatred my dogs have of cats (the odd feral cat may stray into the vicinity once or twice a year, but is quickly encouraged to seek other shores!) my place is literally swarmed with birds. Crows, Magpies, Jays, Hawks, Falcons, Pigeons, Doves, Thrushes, Blackbirds, Tits, Finches, Sparrows, Goldcrests, Robins, Wrens, Treecreepers, Wagtails et cetera are all here in their dozens. But, some years ago, I noticed a cock Blackbird with an unusual white patch on his right shoulder. He was easily identifiable and he stayed around for several years and, while here, he seemed to be the dominant Blackbird of the place. I often saw him chasing away other cock Blackbirds but he himself was never chased by another. Anyway, the upshot of the story is that, now, I have several cock Blackbirds around the place with varying degrees of white on them. And I'm hoping that, one day, one will appear completely white. Strangely enough, I never see a female exhibiting even the least sign of albinism.

We had them in the UK but I have never seen one in Ireland. I am not sure that its albinism as I have never seen a white blackbird with pink eyes. The wildlife copse I created is now full of bird song. Luv it. Now I have stopped growing veg for the mart my wildlife area gets bigger each year . We had a Jay last week, not a common sight here. With the aid of a trail cam I am going to do a census on what birds visit the feeding station.