Lunchtime at the Greenway Diner

It seemed like a quiet afternoon on the Greenway near the Sycamore Apartments, but a few steps along the trail and a quiet cacophony erupted. Apparently, I arrived just in time for the avian midday meal as an assortment of birds took advantage of the warm sunshine to stuff themselves with seeds (and I assume any errant bugs that happened to be out).

First was a bevy of female cardinals, rustling among the the dry stalks as they hopped from stem to stem. Their chunky, bright orange beaks were in constant motion as they selected seeds and worked them for a moment to remove any unappetizing shreds or bits of fluff before sending them down the hatch. They stayed close to one another, flying off together in the same direction when I passed a little too close for comfort.

Tiny goldfinches, emitting thin, squeaky-wheezy titters, were a bit harder to see with their dull tawny winter plumage. They were particularly fond of singing as they flew off far into the distance, just as I was bringing my camera up to my eye.

A couple of downy woodpeckers could be heard here and there, taptapping the rattly stems of cup plant, in search of tasty larvae attempting to make it through the winter in the thick, pithy stems.

In the distance, occasional quacks and honks erupted from the waterfowl hanging out in the wetlands. A single bluejay let out a few squeaky-pump whistles before flying off to the west.

Several little juncos were foraging on the ground along the edge of the trail, their white tail stripes flashing as they scattered to the nearby conifers. Unseen, they continued to berate me with metallic squeaks and tsks as I walked past.

I was hoping to see a few mourning doves, who usually hang out near the apartments, but there was no sign of them. They must have declined the invitation to the luncheon on the Greenway this afternoon.