Out at Bason Botanic Gardens, nea Whanganui, I came across two kereru, interacting strangely, in a small kowhai. It was behaviour I have never seen before. They were flying at each other, sometimes rising above the tree a little, and mostly moving no more than two or three metres distance. Their mouths were constantly open. At first, I was far too close with my camera and missed some of the best activity. I moved down to the bottom of the hill, to where the sun was behind me, and a suitable distance for my camera. I shot off over 500 pictures to record this bizarre behaviour. I also have some video on my phone. From the times on my pictures, I was shooting off and on for 19 minutes, during which time their flapping just went on and on. What was it all about? If it was courtship behaviour, it’s an odd time of the year for it. Is it one bird protecting a food source? We have noted in previous years that the kereru have stripped these same small kowhai bushes of leaves. Always something new to observe.
