For the past week or so I’ve gotten reports of Steller’s jays in the neighborhood, including one report from my neighbor directly across the street. Although we would seem to have fairly good habitat for the birds, I only see one in the yard every two to three years.

On August 9, 2024, I was sitting in the yard (with my camera!) when I saw a very dark bird descending through the trees. While I hadn’t been focused on seeing a jay, when I got partial views of the shadowy bird through the leaves it didn’t take me long to realize that it could be a Stellar’s jay. I took several photos where I could only see part of the bird because I wanted some record of the bird’s visit. It finally emerged into an open area above a water feature and I was able to obtain some good photos of the entire bird. So I now have a record of the bird’s visit!

I was sitting in my office upstairs on the evening of July 25, 2024, when some motion in the yard below caught my eye. As I focused my attention on the yard I was startled to see a white chipmunk run from a brush pile to the rocks forming our watercourse. I raced downstairs for my camera and managed to get photos of the creature in fading light (~8:10pm).  The creature had all the appearances of a Townsend’s chipmunk but for being all white. 

The next day I sent my photos to mammal curators at the Burke Museum at the University of Washington in Seattle. They confirmed that it appeared to be a leucistic Townsend’s chipmunk. (An albino would apparently have had red or pink eyes, and this animals eyes were dark. 

I managed a few more photos early the following morning. The chipmunk traveled through the yard with decreasing frequency for the next four or five days before apparently moving on. A neighbor reminded me that she had told me about seeing a white “squirrel” at the Cap Sante overlook several weeks previously, so in that time it had apparently made its way about half a mile down the hill. 

Here are some photos of the chipmunk… 

I’m going to also mention that I am continuing to see the leucistic Song sparrow that has been in Washington Park (in Anacortes) for at least the past two years. Its summer plumage is appearing somewhat shopworn and the distinguishing white patch on the bird’s forehead is (seasonally) less noticeable.