For those of us who took the road less traveled this year ended up in Hyde County, NC at the 5th annual Swan Days Festival. The festival which took place December 5th and 6th , 1998 was held at the Lake Mattamuskeet Lodge on the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge.

  
Many activities and events took place including the sale of carved decoys, crafts and wildlife art. Bird watching workshops, lectures on wildlife, Lake Mattamuskeet, history of the Lodge, as well as arts and crafts were featured at the weekend long event.

Swan Days Festival celebrates the annual return of thousands of waterfowl - especially Tundra Swans and Snow Geese to North Carolina's largest natural lake. It was inspiring to be in the presence of thousands of swans and geese that filled the land, water and sky around Lake Mattamuskeet.

Come back soon for more images and for detailed information about Swan Days and the Lake Mattamuskeet region. (Courtesy of East Carolina University)