Pictures from the wildlife refuge! But first, here are some stats on the refuge itself:
Size: nearly 16,000 acres
Main purpose: protecting land along the Atlantic Flyway (the north/south route taken by migrating birds along the eastern US coast), protecting tidal salt marsh (some of the most valuable wildlife habitat), over 1,000 acres of the refuge is crops planted by farmers that are left for the sole purpose of feeding the wildlife.
Now, pictures!
Got there just after sunrise. A perfect, cold, beautiful morning
Canada geese
Snow geese
The Boardwalk Trail goes right out into the marshland.
What a view! Talk about wide, open spaces
The place is PACKED with birds of all kinds. A woodpecker!
Not sure what this fella is; possibly a sandhill crane.
I've never seen so many ducks!!
They may be common, but I love red-winged blackbirds
Snow geese on the water, with nature's beautiful backdrop
DEER TRACKS! But no deer
Hmm...
This was in the middle of the woods. Kinda creepy. In a cool way.
Geeses!!!