The Year of the Albino Twins

My wife Julie and I will always remember the summer of 2025 as the summer of the Albino twins. Some time around June we discovered two white flashes running  through our yard that we discovered in amazement were twin Albino deer. Credit goes to my son and grandson for the first sighting. We live in a gated community and have many white-tailed deer in the area that are both revered and disdained by residents. Deer cause a considerable amount of damage to landscaping however I fall in the nature lover camp and enjoy seeing them visit my property. I think it's safe to say that all the neighbors are delighted this year to see these rare beauties.

 We began to see in the area on a regular basis a family group of 4 deer . The family consisted of a mother, two twins and a second female of larger size who always appeared with Mom and the fawns. We called her "Nana" imaging that she possibly was the grandmother helping her daughter raise her first fawns, or so we wished.

The twins have a wonderful Mom who is very protective of them, chasing away intruders and wrangling them up when they wander off.

The incidence of Albino deer is estimated to be around 1 in 20,000 births. The incidence of fraternal albino twins is so rare that estimates vary wildly. I've read estimates that range from 1 in 2 million to 1 in 80 million. The incidence of identical albinos is so rare that it is considered improbable. This leads me to believe that these fawns must be fraternal.

Albino deer have several issues that affect their longevity. The biggest issue is their lack of camouflage. They are susceptible to predators and hunters. Though hunting is not allowed in our community we do have coyote who roam the community at night. Albinos in addition have vision problems with eye diseases as a result of lack of pigment in their eyes. They are known to be prone to skin cancer. Albinos are known to be socially rejected by other deer though several years ago we did have an adult albino female in the community who gave birth to two normal fawns.

The range of deer is surprisingly small, particularly in an area with lots of tasty bushes surrounding residents homes. These deer will probably not wander more than a half a mile from where they were born. They will bed-down in ravines, on patios and even under porches.

 

Our "Babes", as we call them, are quite curious and getting to recognize when I come out to fill the bird feeders. The spillage created around the feeders by the squirrels is a tasty snack which they look forward to. Here is a precious photo of them peeping around the corner of my house keeping an eye on me.

It has been a true joy for Julie and I to watch this family and discuss our sightings. We fear for their future but feel blessed to see these beautiful creatures while we can.

I didn't want those Azelas to bloom next spring anyway.

The Passerines of 2025

This photographer always finds it fun to look back on the past year and pick out what I determine to be the Best-of bird photos of the year. This year's collection focuses on Passerines (perching birds) of merit in my travels. Many just required a walk out the door to my backyard.

This beauty is a Painted Bunting, a bird of the Southern United States. I caught this fellow in South Carolina at Huntington Beach State Park.  This bird has been on my wish list for many years. In 2025 - I finally saw one. As the climate warms their range is moving further north. Maybe I will live to see them here at the lake.

This fellow is the Baltimore Oriole. I have an affinity for this guy having started my life in Baltimore 79 years ago. This fellow however summer's at my Sister Elaine's farm in Hamlin New York.  Oddly, they are rarely seen in Baltimore. Here he is enjoying a green tree worm.

This little singer is a common song sparrow. They are ubiquitous in the east and welcome morning choristers in your Spring garden. This one I caught on a memorable day with my son at Hammonasset State Park in Connecticut. The sun filtering through the mist on a background of reeds gave this fellow pride of place in the "Best-of".

Here is one of my favorite birds, the Cedar Waxwing. He and his western brother, the Bohemian waxwing, have a subtle beauty that I find very striking. Their mask along with their yellow and red tips on their feathers make them a special find when you see one. This boy is from Connecticut but they have regularly been found at our local park and on my cedar tree in my backyard. You rarely see one alone. They tend to fly in flocks.

Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird, taking a rest from feeding their brood in one of my birdhouses. I have witnessed my backyard bluebirds having up to three broods in a season.  This pair are feeding their third and look worse-for-ware for doing so. Mom and Dad tend the nest all summer long. They don't migrate and will spend their winter watching me spruce up their houses for next Spring.

Here is a Tufted Titmouse in position for take off. These guys are everywhere in my backyard all year long. I suspect it's my fine offering of Sunflower seed that keeps them around. My yard is an open space that is bordered with hardwoods on one side and pine trees on the other. The lake expands to the front providing a flyway and water source along its bank for a drink. Low shrubs provide places to scoot when a hawk shows up so the environment must be perfect for them. I can get bored photographing them but then you catch a shot like this and they are forgiven.

It rarely snows here in Virginia (knock on wood) so when we get a storm I'm sure to be out in the morning to catch bird-in-snow photos. This is one shot I caught in the morning of a House  Finch perched in the cedar tree that my wife wants to cut down....NEVER. This guy qualified for this year's Christmas card. Good thing I captured my snow shots while still in my pajamas since the snow disappeared by 10AM. Apologies to my neighbors.

Isn't he cute? This Yellow Warbler is a migrating visiter we see in the Spring and Fall. He can be distinguished from other yellow birds by his chestnut colored stripes on his chest.  He winters in the Southern United States. See you next Spring fellow.

Who doesn't love a Northern Cardinal and especially a Cardinal in snow. The Cardinal is the Virginia State bird...and several other states too. I guess we can share this beauty. He didn't make the cut for this year's Christmas card.....too  much of a cliché. Maybe next year.

I love this shot taken in my son's backyard in Connecticut. The birds are very common House Finches but the expressions are priceless. I can just hear this boastful male laying a heavy line on this gal about all the things he's accomplished in life and why he is the best choice for a mate.  Move on to bachelor #2.

Let's close this series with another common beauty from the backyard, the American Goldfinch. For those of us who become interested in Bird photography we can't stop taking pictures of BIRDS. We have thousands of pictures of different species but when we see a bird we shout "stop the car - I don't have this one". This year I added a bumper sticker to my car that says "I stop for birds" to keep neighbors from calling the police about this stalker in the SUV. I have award winning shots of Goldfinches in Red Bud trees and Dogwood trees but this fellow made this years Best-of cut just because I loved the contrast of the Green background framing this yellow beauty.

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I thank God for another year of enjoying these creatures and for my lovely wife who humors me and my hobby. She is an excellent spotter and is often the one calling out "Look a Hawk!".