Assateague Island Waterfowl Week

The wildlife refuge sponsors a Waterfowl Week from 21-29 November. There are some unusual guided tours and other events. The winter migration will be in full swing then, but it has already begun.

I'm not a birder, but the refuge is noticeably busy with birds already. The snow geese have been here for a week or maybe longer.

Most birds seem to get along alright, with minor exceptions. This blue heron stood on the edge of the road on the Wildlife Loop for a long time.

Then he ghosted over to a small pool already inhabited by an egret. For a while they stalked together.

Then the heron became a stinker, chasing off the egret.

Who then lunched on her own.

And, to finish up, wishing to leave no thoughtless idiocy unmentioned, I wonder where they hang the "Open Gate" sign? It's probably as confusing as this one... Makes me wonder why there is no "Service Road sign" sign.

It's a slippery slope when you start to label the world. What do you do about the Arabic version of "Closed Gate" (البوابة المغلقة), or the one for Belarus  (закрытых варотах), or Thai (ประตูปิด). The refuge gets visitors from all over the world, you know. Maybe others are confused about what a "Closed Gate" looks like, too.