the ghost bird

about six months ago, while on the freeway, driving home from my mom's house, i noticed a large white bird perched in a place where no large white bird should be perched - the side of a large, chaparral covered hill. at first i thought it might be a very out of place SNOWY EGRET, or even a WHITE-TAILED KITE. either way, i couldn't stop to look, because i was on the freeway. then, one week ago, i saw the same large white bird, perched in the same spot, while driving home from my mom's house on the same stretch of freeway. this time, however, the bird took off and soared around the hill and out of sight. seeing this short moment of flight was enough to make my brain shout "it's a RED-TAILED HAWK!". of course, because i try to be an ethical birder, i couldn't take that i.d. to the bank, and i vowed to scout the area better the next time i was up there. well, today (3/11) after visiting my mom again i decided to canvass the area with my eyes open and my binos handy. it took about four minutes for the bird to come soaring around the hill and into my field of view. it was an awesome, partially albino/leucistic RED-TAILED HAWK. i was elated that, 1) i was able to so easily relocate this bird, 2) that my i.d. was correct, and that 3) it was a 'rare' find.

leucistic RED-TAILED HAWK (not the one i saw, but one very similar)