OK, so I wouldn't really say it was much of a wildlife encounter. There aren't exactly a lot of exotic and rare creatures in central Ohio. I did however encounter an extraordinarily common critter with a somewhat rare condition.
Meet Whitey. He's the resident albino squirrel at my favorite disc golf course, Blendon Woods. I was just finishing up my putt on hole 5 when I heard the distinct sound of rodent teeth gnashing against a tree nut. Before I could look up, a couple pieces of shell dropped down right next to me. I was just thinking I hadn't seen Whitey in a while, and I always worry about him (or her) since albino animals don't typically last too long in the wild. But there he was, some 30 ft above me enjoying the fruits of his labor.
I stood there and watched for a while as he gorged and then followed him for this great pic of his fuzzy white butt.
I've known about him for a little over a year and the park ranger I asked said he's been around for at least three. I've only ever seen him between holes 5 and 8. To have survived this long means he must be one hell of a scrappy squirrel. Albinos are usually shunned by their kind in the wild and are pretty much a great big food beacon to predators. Since my first sighting, I've only seen him a handful of times. I consider him a good luck charm so hopefully his resiliency continues for a few more seasons!
Any good wildlife stories out there in steemit disc golf land? Please share.
Happy Throwing!