16 March 2016
The Kereru, NZ pigeon, are busily feeding on the fruit of the cabbage tree on the rear deck of the B&B. The building was designed to accommodate the tree as a feature of the rear deck. It is currently fruiting, so for a precious 1-3 weeks, at this time of year, the kereru can be spotted right outside the unit on the rear deck. They are so clownish. They are clumsy birds, swoop in gracefully and land with a clatter onto the bush. They will hang upside down, edge along the fruit spikes, trying to reach every ripe berry. They frequently drop off and have to fly up and off, then returm for another try. I think this is such a special time of the year.
They eat fruit from about 70 species of plants but are the Only bird which can swallow whole the fruit of mata, miro, tawa, puriri, taraire and karaka. These seeds can be the size of a 20 cent piece. These forest giants rely on the kereru for their survival as the birds consume the fruit and disperse the then fertilised seed.
I took these pics on monday this week, while cleaning the glass of the bifold doors.