It got cold last night. Not Alaska cold, but winter in Upstate NY cold. Three extra blankets were not quite enough cold. The wind even whined about it all day yesterday and all night too. I worried about the Carolina Wrens.
They have a history of moving north, freezing out, and coming back again. We lost ours several different years, including 2015, and had to wait a while for new ones to pioneer our buildings and fields. Poor things used to come in the barn to find shelter, but even that couldn't save them.
Last summer was a bumper year though. At least nine fledged here on the farm and I think probably more than that. Some of them hatched and started flight life in the old cow barn, finding ingress and egress through the ventilation fans. I think one nest was actually in the back fan.
However, last night was perfect for killing. Very cold on the heels of a really miserable day. I put out every kind of suet and seed I have to fill everybody up good, but was still concerned.
Then this morning, before I was even up, before it was completely light, before even the doggies were stirring, that "tea kettle, tea kettle, tea kettle" call rang from the tiny elm across the driveway, the favorite singing perch of this year's local male.
Yay, they made it! There's one singing right now.
