White-bellied Green Pigeon, アオバト

Up to 17 birds were reported to have gathered in a park to feed on a kind of acorn. What a chance! We can see these pigeons through the whole year in Kyushu, but their green color makes them hard to detect and when we see them they are perched high up in trees and we only see their white bellies clearly. But here they come down to the ground and we can see their upper sides. That makes all the difference; beautiful colors!

A pretty male, with wine colored patch on its coverts

Picked up an acorn and surprisingly swallowed the whole thing.

I thought they would be munching on them a bit first, these acorns are not soft.

They probably do that later, up in the high trees, but for now they go down in one piece and sit just under the throat.

Look at that bulge!

How many of these acorns fit in there? No wonder a feeding session lasts just a few minutes...

before going on the ground the birds stop briefly at a low plum blossom tree with a few flowers.

Oops, tail up. Are we upset?

 

Hoping for a shot of birds AND blossom.

 

Couldn't do any better than this.

The competition: Carrion Crow, ハシボソガラス

We like them too!

Amongst other birds in the park were a very cute Bull-headed Shrike, モズ

A different thrush: Pale Thrush, シロハラ

with white eyes.