Fowl Encounters

We had an entertaining bird encounter today, and it is one that proves that a practical field knowledge sometimes means nothing at all.  The scene is a popular "greenway" that is part of the East Coast Greenway and one that runs past several small farms.  We came upon these 11 birds which were astonishingly comfortable with people up close.  I was baffled and could not identify these strangely mellow birds.  These weren't quail or any other bird I would expect to see in rural precincts of the Piedmont.  A later posting led to an obvious suggestion from a friend: these are farm fowl, specifically Guinea Fowl.  Exotics of a sort, but predictable if one had enough farm experience.  Nevertheless, it was a most delightful encounter.   And not what you expect on a recreational trail!