Very Special Visitors

With the cooler weather and the appearance of berries in Brook Park, we are often treated to a visit from keruru, our native wood pigeon. They are very heavy fliers and often the first you know of their arrival is the swish, swish of their beating wings. This year there are two of them. Beautiful snowy white breasts and iridescent wings and heads. They are not as common as a lot of the other birds that visit the garden and it is usually at this time of the year. They are a favourite for use in artwork because of their structural presence, beautiful colours and easy to replicate form. We have a bird bath just below these trees and they often come to sip from the water. They will sit in the tree watching until they are sure there are no dangers then swoop down and sit on the edge of the bird bath to drink. The tui are very territorial and will try and chase them away if they are around.

Rob had just driven down the drive and I had gone out to pick something up when I heard the swoop of there wings and looked up to see the first one. And then I noticed the second sitting high in the tree. I raced inside to get a camera and fortunately they were still there when I came back. It is simple pleasures like these that make the bigger section and trees worthwhile