wintering over

When I took this photograph of icicles, I realized that last autumn I forgot to clean the nest litter from the wren houses hanging under my eves, and I worried that tiny vermin, mites, ticks, fleas, and other scavenger insects, might winter over there and pester the hatchlings that were sure to nest there in the spring. I peeked inside and startled both myself and the adult bird that had decided to winter over in its nest. It liked the nest litter just fine, any vermin were probably a tasty snack.

Caption: Birdhouse With Icicles And Winter Wren Inside

by Annmarie Throckmorton 2013.