Chickadees may be one of the cutest visitors to the garden, with their oversized heads and easy-to recognize black caps. Did you know that while they do stay for the winter in our climate, they often have very short lives due to the harsh nature of the cold season here? During the winter, they huddle together in trees or cavities to stay warm. They will not shelter in birdhouses in the winter, even though they are happy to use these for their nests and eggs in the spring. They will shelter in a specially made winter roost box, which has a hole near the bottom of the box for better protection from winter winds. If you are looking for a project to do to make your chickadee-dee-dees’ lives just a little bit better, consider making (or buying) one!