Early Morning Visitors

Shoveling the snow early this morning I looked up to see two black cats trotting along the edge of the ice pack. I thought they must be feral cats and I was going to try and call them. BUT. When I got back inside with the dogs and dropped my coat, boots, gloves, I took another look using the camera. Not cats, coyotes. I don't know what the wind chill is but frigid. I suspect they were at my bird feeders this morning as the dogs went crazy - I saw nothing.

I realize that the last two weeks of January are, historically, the coldest time of the year so this cold snap did not surprise me. I'm so grateful that Rick Conquergood arrives promptly and clears the snow from the driveway - not that I plan on going anywhere for a few days. It's just really nice to know that I could if I wanted to. Clicking on photos will enlarge them.

I hope they keep going and never return. Although I've never heard them howling or calling around me, I do know they are now virtually everywhere, probably or possibly filling a niche left open by the demise of wolves. Tough animals, eh?