Mid-morning there was a thump. Probably wet snow coming off the roof we agreed.

In the sunroom for a coffee I found some trinkets on the floor. Fallen from their window shelf. Strange.

I let our dog, Sila, out the sunroom door. She turned instantly and focused sharply. A grouse lay dead on the snow outside the sunroom windows. Another one.

In one autumn our house has killed three grouse. On three sides of the house.

Our land hosted a hen and her brood of four chicks last spring.

                                        three chicks — a small brood