Great Egrets at Luther Marsh

DO NOT SHOOT AT

ANY WHITE BIRDS

                                                                               ... sign at Luther Marsh

Photo by BarrytheBirder

MMGreat EgretMM

Ardea alba

I finally got up to Luther Marsh today to see some of the 'WHITE BIRDS' referred to above.   Luther Marsh is 25 km northwest of Orangeville, Ontario, and its wildlife management area comprises 5,600 ha. (almost 14,000 acres).   Today, at Zone R ( a restricted, no-entry area) I counted 52 'white birds'.  They were a great distance from me and I tried to err on the low side, which means the number was likely higher than 52.   They were all Great Egrets, I presume, although some of the birds seemed much smaller than the Great Egrets.   There may have been one or two Snowy Egrets in the mix or maybe even a Cattle Egret.   The egrets do not restrict themselves to Zone R, of course, and they may be spotted occasionally throughout Luther Marsh.   The two above were close to the single-lane, gravel track around the north side of Luther.   I find Luther Marsh somewhat frustrating in this day and age because of the increasingly restrictive access and rules.   I understand fully however the extreme importance of protecting this breeding ground.   What I don't understand is the continuance of hunting at Luther Marsh.
Please comment if you wish.
BtheB