Lunch at Farm Pond

I took a short walk at Farm Pond during my lunch break today.  As soon as I left the parking area and started walking toward the pond, I saw birds.  A Downy Woodpecker was nice and low on a tree trunk right next to the path, so I went behind another tree opposite it to pull my camera out of my pack without scaring it off.  In the process, I flushed a good-sized flock of Dark-Eyed Juncos out of the grass.  A White-Breasted Nuthatch was moving up and down the tree just next to the one hosting the Downy Woodpecker.

These are all common birds, but I love walking into an area that is busy with birds doing their thing, particularly when they wait for me to get my camera ready!

Downy Woodpecker
(He actually entered that hole just beneath him for a while and pecked in there)

White-Breasted Nuthatch

Part of the pond was thawed, so there were mute swans and mallards swimming near the shore, closer than I have seen in a long time.  Before now, they have been on the far side of the pond all winter, well out of reach because there are train tracks and no walking trail on that shore.  

 Mallards

 Mute Swan

View of the frozen part of the pond

Some preferred the ice

On the way out to the car, the Dark-Eyed Juncos were back in the grass and had been joined by several Song Sparrows.

Song Sparrow looking quizzical

Also seen:

American Crow

Canada Geese

Dark-Eyed Junco

White-Breasted Nuthatch