Behold, a feeding frenzy of Plum Sharks!

Plum sharks AKA kererū, the NZ wood pigeon.

Plums are in full fruit in Ōtautahi-Christchurch city, NZ, at the moment. I was on Valley Road today in Cashmere there were at least 11 kererū feasting in the plum trees up the side of the road.

I think plums are one of the big reasons that these birds venture down from the hills into the city at this time of year.

https://inaturalist.nz/observations/333255361

#birds #fruigivory #plums #Prunus #woodpigeon #pigeons #kererū #nz #Christchurch #nature #iNaturalist #iNaturalistNZ

Tūī expressing some firm opinions about not wanting to share a kōwhai tree with a kererū 🙂

#nzbirdphotos #tuibird #kereru

Kereru waiting out a rainfall near Wainuiomata last week

#Kereru #NZbirds #NZbirdphotography

The kōwhai trees are in fabulous full bloom across Ōtautahi-Christchurch city, NZ. They're blooming about a month late this year and are making up for that with a huge number of flowers.

That's making the korimako and kererū in the Cashmere hills happy. The korimako are pollinating the kōwhai flowers, which I guess also makes the kōwhai happy, to the extent that a kōwhai tree can be happy. The kererū, on the other hand, are eating the kowhai's flowers and young leaves.

korimako: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/315198237
kererū: https://inaturalist.nz/observations/315196715

#NZ #nature #Christchurch #Ōtautahi #birds #pollination #herbivory #Anthornis #Hemiphaga #kererū #korimako

Yesterday was the second day I saw a kereru flying at my school, ever. The first time was a few weeks ago.
I am so hopeful that the planting people are doing as well as the predator control, is supporting this change.

Here's to more sightings 🤩
#Birds #AoNZ #kereru

Here's a kererū (NZ wood pigeon) that I photographed last weekend. It was contentedly munching away on kōwhai leaves and didn't seem to mind me taking some photos. I love how the backlit sun makes its red eyes shine.

https://inaturalist.nz/observations/305164242

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mollivan_jon/54711217603/

#kererū #birds #photography #nz