Mutation

Definitely not a great photo; not even a good photo. But what it shows is something I have never seen before – a king parrot colour mutation. 

There was a group of maybe a dozen king parrots in the oak tree, feasting on acorns. They then decided to start on my fruit trees (horrors!) and I noticed this very striking bird – especially in flight. Very different to the others. There is also a normal male (young, as his red head feathers are still 'coming in') and a normal female in this shot. Of course, I had completely the wrong lens on the camera. And my pear tree is hardly looking its best right now. 

I did have to rush down and shoo them all away though, as they were sitting in every one of my six fruit trees and I know from bitter experience they can make very short work of a whole crop, despite the nets. Not even the olives are immune.

There was another one with scattered yellow feathers on its back too – a sibling possibly.