here's a squirrel you've not seen ;)

[paulnj]

I was at my brother's house yesterday visiting my 6 month old nephew and my brother says" You have to see this squirrel we have over near the pond". I grab my camera and take a walk with him. As we round the bend THIS runs up a tree .
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[srobb]

Wow!! How rare is that little fellow, Paul. Don't know that I have ever seen one before now. Great pic, too.

[Nawar]

OoO

what agreat pic.. i like it very much


thanx


whith peace

[drg]

Great shot. Note the black eyes. This is a 'wannabe' albino. The albino squirrels have pink eyes. These are rare and unlike the albino's usually don't live in communities.

There is a community here in Illinois, Olney, that (along with a few other places in the U.S.)
bills itself as the 'Home of the White Squirrel'. They have annual counts, the police department wears a white squirrel patch, the squirrels have right away, dogs and cats must be tied up or confined and other such items for promotional purpose!

You might watch carefully in that area as some true albinos might emerge in the population or there may be some others.

Any more pics of this guy?

[paulnj]

Well, this leucistic squirrel(I labeled it albino though) was born to normal grey squirrel parents so my brother says. My family knows nature well, so I have no reason to doubt him.

Across the US are a few populations of "white" and "black" grey squirrels, but this one is a single genetic or environmental defect.

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/squirrels.html

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/squirrels2.html

I am not 100% sure that the eyes are truely black(as a leucistic one would have) . The lighting angle could have turned pink eyes dark I have seen many a true albino animal and the same goes for piebald/leucistic and the other genetic/ environmental defects.

I wish I could photograph even 10% of the birds, deer, squirrels, racoons, snakes, fish and even a pure white monarch that I've seen in my travels.

[SmartWombat]

I'm not convinced by the photo, with that eye in shadow it still could have the red eyes of a true albino. But sounds like your family knows him and his parents by name, almost!

[paulnj]

I am with you. Maybe I will further investigate this before a hawk eats it. A family of cooper's hawks nest within a half mile and redtailed hawks are very close too.

I am thinking the eyes are black, but will have to confirm that.

[Bevb]

Black eyes, red eyes! it doesnt matter to me, the chance to take a picture of this rarity is something else, would i love one of these to come out amongst the hundreds of greys we have here?, without a doubt. Great image.

[paulnj]

Yeah it was pretty cool to see briefly and get an image of .

[Knight]

Indeed a rare Capture sweet

[julsoph]

Awesome shot, Paul!

Emily