Cold snap

frosty window 1

Yes, it’s cold.

frosty window 2

Our lowest temperature in Plummer’s Hollow this morning was -10°F (-23.33°C) with a wind,

frosty window 4

though my mother points out that we’d have a ways to go to beat our 1991 record of -19°F (-28.33°C).

lonely dog

My brother’s dog looked especially forlorn today, trapped inside except for very brief walks.

Carolina wren 1

But my real worry is for the Carolina wrens, who as their name suggests are more adapted to warmer climates, and tend not to survive prolonged cold snaps below about 5°F (-15°C).

Carolina wren 2

Otherwise, they are year-round residents, and sing even on the coldest mornings—

Carolina wren 5

founts of conviviality and good cheer.

Carolina wren 8

I shot this series of photos just yesterday, thinking that if this particular pair didn’t make it, I’d at least have something to remember them by.

Carolina wren 7

But I’m hoping they will be able to survive by going in under my house and cuddling up to the oil furnace, as they’ve done in the past. The cold spell is predicted to be mercifully brief.

5 Replies to “Cold snap”

  1. Oh hey, they made it! One was sheltering on top of the fuse box (which you wouldn’t think would produce much heat). They did that counter-singing thing that wrens do, so I know they both survived.

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