| Each November and
December, the snow geese arrive from their nesting areas on the islands of
the Artic Sea. The photos in this section were taken by the Chamber's
Webmaster, Robert Jobin, on January 2, 2000, from the west observation
platform overlooking Snow Goose Pool along the Wildlife Loop.
By Christmas large numbers of snow geese
may be seen on Snow Goose Pool and Swan Cove (click
for map). The rootstocks of Assateague's salt-marsh cordgrass provide
them with a plentiful food supply.
The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
on Assateague was established in 1943 in order to protect habitat for
migratory birds, and particularly for the declining population of Greater
Snow Geese. The snow geese - along with herons, egrets, and other birds -
were being killed in large numbers for their feathers, and at the same
time habitat for migratory birds was being lost due to development along
the Atlantic Coast. |
