When we were doing our Breeding Bird Atlas last summer, we stopped at the intersection of Layhll Rd. and Norbeck Rd., where there are some large fields and ponds with lots of swallows. There we had a totally white, albino (as best we could tell) Barn Swallow flying about with the normal Barn Swallows. It looked like a miniature Snow Petrel except for the forked tail. This was before the swallow young had fledged so it was not a young bird. Lord knows how it avoided predators, it stood out like a sore thumb. Agility and luck, I guess.

We never made it back there in 2006 but will look again this year to see if the bird returned.

It was very beautiful...

Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Dan haas <>
> This morning, I hiked around Greenbury Point (on the base side near
> the water treatment area) and I saw an Albino (partial) Tree Swallow.
> 
<snip>