Coyotes Howl in the Dark of Night

I couldn't sleep last night (more on that in a later post) so I lay in bed, listening to Hubby snore, watching the play of light from the occasional airplane passing overhead. Wind whistled from time to time. The freezer's ice maker threw it's burden into the tray. Furnace tripped on and quietly played out.

Then I heard it. A lone howl, soon joined by others. The chorus echoed for only moments before silencing. For 30 minutes. Maybe 45. Then again, the pack sang closer to our home. And still later, even closer.

We knew coyotes and foxes hung around here. They left piles of feathers from their attacks on a neighbor's chickens. But we hadn't seen or heard them until last night. While beautiful in their song, it's unnerving that soon we'll have our own chickens and other creatures depending on us for their safety.