Sunday, September 22, 2013

Chincoteague Island

  I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

September 22, 2013

I took off work on Friday so hubby and I could enjoy an overnight trip to Chincoteague Island, Virginia. Chincoteague is one of my favorite places to visit. My excitement started as I was seeing some cool birds along our drive on the eastern shore of Maryland. There were a few hawks along the highway, gulls flying along side the car while driving over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, awesome sighting of a Great Horned Owl on an electric pole, a kingfisher perched on a wire, cattle egrets seen on a cattle farm near Pocomoke City.

During our stay at Chincoteague Island we enjoyed the gorgeous weather, beach, birds, ponies and pretty scenery.


Above are the Black Skimmers, a Little Blue Heron, Egrets and the Chincoteague Lighthouse.

The boardwalk at Tom's Cove, surfer, Chincoteague ponies and the pretty beach.  We had cool sightings of dolphins swimming by and playing around in and jumping out the waves.

More Skimmers, Godwit, Terns and some Willets and along the side in the photo is a Little Blue, Snowy Egret and a Tricolored heron and the bottom is a Green Heron.

On a later post I will share my two lifers...the rare sighting of a Bar-tailed Godwit and a Sandwich Tern. The birding was awesome. I enjoyed seeing all the shorebirds.

Spending the one night we were able to watch the sunset, the moon rise above the ocean and see a beautiful sunrise.  After watching the sunrise we checked out some more of the shorebirds as we headed back to our hotel for breakfast. Not ready to go home we hung around the Chincoteague NWR. We took a walk on the woodland trail and did one last stop to check out the Tom's Cove area which was were I spotted my lifers. I will post about my Chincoteague lifers on another post. Even on the drive home, I was able to watch an eagle lift off the Nanticoke River and fly next to our car for awhile as I drove over the bridge. I had a great weekend, how was your weekend?

As always, I hope you enjoy my post and thanks for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

Join in on the fun and for more wonderful photos please visit  Mosaic Monday and more
 from  Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to our host: Mary our host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week!

74 comments:

  1. Oh how FUN! I want to go and it has been on my list for a long time!!! Any recommendation on hotels there?

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  2. Que lindas fotos e maravilhoso lugar! beijos,tudo de bom,chica

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  3. Gorgeous images! A place I have always wanted to visit.

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  4. awesome views. just amazing. we have been there a couple of times. never a letdown at all .. perfect times. ( :

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  5. You always have the greatest "get aways!" How beautiful!! The birds and the horses!! AND especially the sunrise and moon! Very nice/lovely!

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  6. Sounds like and looks like a perfectly wonderful weekend. I am looking forward to your "lifers." Happy you enjoyed your long weekend Eileen!

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  7. A wonderful area and landscape and lots of birds. Marvelous photos of your walk there. Best regards, Synnöve

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  8. You certainly did have a good and extended weekend Eileen. And with a number of rather nice birds too, plus lifers and those wonderful sunrises. Can't wait to see your lifer pictures. Enjoy the coming week.

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  9. Birds always appear very pretty.

    They are one of the superstars.

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  10. I think I'd like visiting there! Beautiful photos and collages, Eileen. Love the sunset/moon shots. I did read "Misty of Chincoteague" as a kid. Anything do with horses I think I've read it. Very nice post!!

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  11. Beautiful collages Eilleen.
    Greetings Irma

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  12. how awesome! would love to see the famous ponies. but i'd settle for a little blue or tri-color. :)

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  13. I just had to stop in when I saw your post title because one of my favourite books as a child was about the ponies of Chincoteague written by Marguerite Henry. I am so glad you posted a photo of some. Lovely sunset over the ocean too.

    I imagine this island to be just off the east coast of Virginia? It looks like a wildlife lover's paradise.

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  14. Hi Eileen, What a wonderful place. Yes, I read Marguerite Henry books as a young girl. Really nice pictures! Have a super good coming week!

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  15. Hallo Eileen!!!Wow!!!You sure had a wonderful trip!!!Gorgeous pictures and collage!!!I like the birds ,the beach and the lighthouse photos!!Amazing pictures of the sunset and the moon!!!I really enjoyed your today's post!!!
    Have a happy new week!!Hugs!!
    Dimi...

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  16. Goodness, you sure see a lot of wildlife there! It's really impressive that you know the names of all those birds. I would have loved to of seen the Horned Owl. How fantastic! I live in a heavily wooded area, but have only seen an owl once. They are magnificent. I'm sure if I put my mind and time to it I would see more. I'm too much of a house sitter!

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  17. Breathtaking - all of them! Such a feast of wild birds. The closest area to us, that is like this, unfortunately, is over 5 hour's drive south - and one has to pass through Seattle's standstill traffic - adding perhaps an hour or two to the trip - and on weekends - it can take up to 3 hours to go 45 miles in the Seattle stretch of highway - insane.
    So it would be a three day trip - at least - to get to the Columbia River Flyway - which we shall do sometime. The area just south of us is just too populated and they have ruined so many good birding areas before common sense took over from corporate greed.

    I love the variety of birds that you saw there, and the photos of them - each is amazing.

    Late last winter we had a flock of Willets come through - they usually are not in this area - and I happened to be at Birch Bay State Park and got lots of wonderful photos of them - it was a fabulous surprise.

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  18. love the lighthouse....and the surfer dude!!

    awesome images!!

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  19. Fantastic Eileen, always love to pop in and see what you have to share.

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  20. Sounds like a lot of fun great series happy shooting

    Saun

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  21. Hi Eileen what a wonderful place to have a break. Fantastic images especially the sunsets and Moon.

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  22. Wonderful shots of the moon and the sunset. I'm glad you had such good weather.

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  23. So exciting to cross things of a bucket list. Looks like you had a fabulous time.

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  24. Great photos us usual. Always enjoy your pictures. : )

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  25. Hi Eileen,

    Gorgeous photos, as usual! Especially love the one of the boardwalk and the top right,full orange moon! Is it a Harvest Moon?

    Thanks for sharing!

    Poppy

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  26. I've always wanted to visit ever since I was a little girl and read about the ponies! Was just talking to my husband about it this morning! Beautiful images, Eileen! xoxo

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  27. Oh my goodness...you shoulda linked up at the Bird D'Pot with these awesome photos.

    Love the ponies too. I think I would definitely take a day off for visiting here also!!

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  28. I love the late evening shots of the sun and moon.

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  29. That sounded like the best weekend for a birder. The birds, beaches, scenery and sunsets all look magical.

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  30. Great shots of the island, very picturesque.

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  31. Your post sounded like a birders paradise. Glad that you could get away. Valerie

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  32. My weekend was dull compared to yours Eileen. I'd say it was well worth taking a day off work to go to Chincoteague Island. Lots of interesting birds and amazing sunrise/sunset. I probably wouldn't know the birds you found for lifers, but I'm happy for you all the same.
    Happy Autumn.
    Judith

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  33. Thanks for sharing your vacation with us. Great photos as always.

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  34. Your sunset shots are amazing, Eileen. I enjoyed seeing the birds and ponies too.

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  35. You got some great pictures of birds and the sunset looks like a lovely place for a weekend away.
    Merle........

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  36. Such a lovely spot! Of course I love the lighthouse. Just by the water is always so restful. Thanks for sharing.

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  37. What beautiful shots. Such a great idea to take a Friday off and head out for water, birds, and NC nature. I am way jealous. When the children were growing up, we went there every summer. It was heavenly. genie

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  38. Hello Eileen

    Oh I love seeing your birds and they are particularly wonderful in these mosaics.

    I would have been excited and looking forward to this weekend away too - you certainly made the most of it by capturing some incredible pics.

    I always enjoy your posts giving me insight into bird life in the US - thank you Eileen!

    Wishing you a very happy week
    Shane

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  39. Oh, I love Assateague Island! (For those who don't know it's the wild island on the ocean side of Chincoteague. The hotels and restaurants are on Chincoteague, but some of Eileen's pics show Assateague.)

    We have a National Parks Senior Pass which gives us free admission to Assateague. Sometimes we rent a small condo at the Assateague Inn (on Chincoteague). I'd better stop because I'm probably confusing people.

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  40. How absolutely gorgeous! Chincoteague sounds and looks just magical.

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  41. Chincoteague is such a beautiful nature refuge, Eileen! I visited it many years ago. It is so amazing to see the horses running free there.

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  42. Love the distance view of the lighthouse, beaches, lovely place you visited.

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  43. Wonderful photos and collages! What a lovely spot for a getaway, although I'm not sure an overnighter would be enough.

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  44. such striking pictures Eileen. Each better than the other. Beautiful!

    Thanks
    Pallavi

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  45. Looks like you had perfect weather for your weekend getaway Eileen.

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  46. I really am going to have to organise a trip to see skimmers! What great looking birds.

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  47. Sounds like my kind of weekend! Though mine wasn't as adventurous as yours. Beautiful images, Eileen. Really enjoyed this set. :) Look forward to reading about and seeing your lifers.

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  48. Wonderful series of images of the sea, the beach, the light house, the horses and large variety of water birds. The sun set pics are awesome. Seems like a great place for a week end get away.

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  49. HI Eileen ... Stunning shot's of the place, and a gorgeous sunset ..loved it!

    Grace

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  50. Fantastic looking the glimpse of Chincoteague Island in your photographs..
    thanks for sharing....

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  51. What a fantastic trip Eileen! Congratulations on the lifers and thanks for sharing your images. I find skimmers totally amazing and would love to see one. Happy birding :)

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  52. I am loving sunset views an that pic is gorgeous!Have a wonderful week!

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  53. What a beautiful place to visit. And, oh, the moonrise, the sunrise - just lovely.

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  54. So neat! You saw a lot of different things on this trip. I like the Chincoteague ponies :)

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  55. I've alwasy wanted to visit this area and your photos are enticing me more! That sunrise/sunset are fabulous. What a great trip.

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  56. Your photos are always just amazing!
    We're so lucky that you take us along on your fabulous excursions!
    Patti

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  57. Beautiful collages. It is so hard to choose which theme is good! :)

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  58. You certainly did have a good outing!!! Many of those birds would be lifers for me. The cooler weather has finally arrived here....although it's just a tad cooler, I'll take it!:) Thanks for sharing your trip. We're taking off this Friday to finally discover the great California Condors. Those weekends are super important:) They recharge the soul!

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  59. We loved it there so much...definitely on our 'i wish we could go back' list.....thank you for the beautiful pictures. It is such an awe-inspiring place.

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  60. Fantastic photos ~ you do go to the best places ~ love it ~ carol ^_^

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  61. Looks like a wonderful, wonderful place so full of life. Thanks, Eileen!

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  62. You got some amazing photos Eileen, all gorgeous!

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  63. incredible shots. what a fun get away.

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  64. What a beautiful place! Love the scenery and those sky shots.

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  65. Nice trip report and those ponies are fantastic!

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  66. What a beautiful post, and love your sun shot photos!

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  67. Another great series!! Bopom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

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  68. You saw so much in such a short time. Loved the sunset.

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  69. My goodness Eileen, it looks like such a wonderful place to visit and wow, you sure tons of beauty and wildlife there too. This looks like I place I would enjoy too~

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  70. So beautiful! I visited the island once many years ago before I had gone digital. I would love to visit again.

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  71. il y a une belle lumière sur les oiseaux

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