Monday, October 3, 2011

Birding Chincoteague Island NWR

I am linking up with Our World Tuesday  and World Bird Wednesday

This weekend hubby and I visited Chincoteague Island NWR. It was a great weekend and we saw some great birds. We left early for Chincoteague on Friday morning and it was a wonderful day almost feeling like a hot summer day. We spent a few hours on the beach and the rest of Friday was spent birding and a hike on the Woodlands Trail. During our dinner it was upsetting to hear that the US Fish and Wildlife service and the National Park Service have plans on changing the public usage and access to Chincoteague NWR and Assateague Island National Seashore. Businesses are worried and I am sure as a visitor I would not like some of the proposed plans. Here is a link Preserve access to Chincoteague to read more about the plans.


I included a video of Sanderlings and Willets on the beach






 Hubby enjoys watching the ocean and the waves and I was checking out all the shorebirds and seagulls. The most common bird I saw were the Sanderlings and then the Willets, flocks of Cormorants flying by and lots of Brown Pelicans and of course many seagulls.




Sanderlings at 8 inches in length are one of the smallest shorebirds. Sanderlings forage at the water edge and can be seen racing back and forth with the waves.


Willets in flight


This chubby seagull was bathing in a puddle near the parking lot. There are so many species of Seagulls I have not begun to even try to id them. I do know a few of them by sight like the huge Great Black Backed, Ring-billed and my favorite gull is the Laughing Gull.

Chincoteague Island NWR and the Assateague National Seashore is one of my favorite places to visit. The birds are plentiful and it is really cool to see the wild ponies. We were lucky to pick a weekend when the ponies had to be rounded up and penned to be wormed by the vets.  Also, it was the 144th birthday of the lighthouse. Soon,  I will do some posts on my blog Travel with Eileen about the Chincoteague ponies and the lighthouse.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed my post and to see more great posts and photos please visit Our World Tuesday and to see more beautiful birds make sure you visit World Bird Wednesday.  Thanks to the host of Our World: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sandy and Sylvia. Also, thanks to Springman the host of World Bird Wednesday.

I hope everyone has a great week and Happy Birding!!!!

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great pictures of the shorebirds! I enjoy watching the ocean waves AND seeing the birds!

Ebie said...

Not just your NWR, but some parks here are threatened to be closed because of budget constraints.

This is a fun adventure! Those sanderlings are just like little kids, chasing the water as it rushes to the shore!

Sarah A. Galang, Ph.D. said...

wow so beautiful. I enjoy looking at the birds, so nice.

His Unfailing Love
<a href="http://bacolodandbeyond.blogspot.com</a>

Debbie said...

we love visiting the beach during the fall. the beaches are clean, no crowds, or umbrella's. it's a beautiful, quiet time to visit and photograph all the shorebirds.

great shots!! i love those little sanderlings!!

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh - how lovely and relaxing!

TexWisGirl said...

love that big seagull. and the sanderlings running along are so cute!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

What a great place, Eileen... I'd love to visit there someday... You certainly know your shorebirds.. I do not---but learn a little from you every time you post a blog like today!!!! Thanks!
Hugs,
Betsy

Diann said...

How fun! And such amazing photos Eileen!

Anonymous said...

Hi Eileen, Nice pictures of your visit to the shoreline. Gee Seagulls are just everywhere, aren't they? I saw a bunch on my recent trip to Yellowstone National Park out on the large Yellowstone Lake. I have even seen a few here on my own backyard 101 acre private community lake in Cumberland County, TN! Who knew that the gulls are so wide-ranging. Of course there are several sub-species. Have a super good day!

Carver said...

Very beautiful place to explore and you got some great shots of the birds.

Sylvia K said...

I do fear for the future of parks and NWR and heaven knows what else if things continue as they are now here in our country. It's sad and it's scary! Your photos are fantastic, Eileen, love the birds and the beach! Such a lovely peaceful place! I've always wanted to visit Chincoteague Island! Thanks for sharing it with us today! Hope you have a wonderful week!

Sylvia

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

We were fortunate to spend a little time there a year ago on our summer road trip. Just that once and it became a favorite place for us! If we could get there more easily it would certainly be a regular stop.

Wonderful pictures and happy memories. Thank you.

Jen Sanford said...

Sounds like you had a great time! Great photos... I've always wanted to visit there to see the wild horses but now I live on the wrong coast!

Anonymous said...

How great a place must feel, where alike is possible.

Please have you all a good Tuesday.


daily athens

Barb said...

Eileen, I really enjoyed your birding photos. My friends from CO are now in MD and are planning a visit to Chincoteague Island this week. I hope your glorious weather holds for them. (Yes,- in answer to your question - our Co aspens turn gold in the fall.)

Unknown said...

Great tour of the shore birds!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

Reader Wil said...

Thank you for these wonderful shots of the birds and the ocean. The video is really impressive with the sounds of the ocean and the birds. Thank you also for your visit, Eileen. Have a great week.

hannah said...

Such a nice clean, and empty beach. What luxury.
Don't know much about birds, but they seem to be many and varied.

Gemma Wiseman said...

An incredible series of beach scenes! I had no idea that there could be such a variety of gulls! Especially in one place! Great photos!

Al said...

Lovely shots. Sometimes I miss the ocean.

EG CameraGirl said...

I always enjoy your birding posts, Eileen! I hope you will always be able to watch for birds at Chincoteague Island NWR. I'm going to check the link you provided NOW!

Saun said...

Great series, my favorite is the chubby seagull taking a bath in a puddle too cute...

Rajesh said...

Wonderful shots and nice birding experiencing on the beach.

Arija said...

Loved seeing all those birds rushing in and out with the moving waves. I do hope you retain access to this magical place.

LifeRamblings said...

the beach looks clean, relaxing and inviting. i enjoy all your captures here.

Sue said...

Loved the photo of the 3 next to the foamy waters. Beautiful!

One said...

Another enjoyable post. What is that bird doing soaking in the water?

magiceye said...

oh what a wonderful world that is!

Dan Huber said...

Nice post and pictures, love the shorebirds!

dan

Valerie said...

Thanks for sharing these delightful captures from your part of our world, Eileen.

Andrea said...

It really is so wonderful to watch the waves, even the rocks and the beauty is even more magnified if there are birds! Very lovely photos you got there. Unfortunately, i dont see birds in the seashore near our place.

Dhemz said...

thanks for sharing the video Eileen...so refreshing...I miss the beach...love all the photo...thanks for the visit.

Reena said...

I can watch these guys all day long!

Anonymous said...

Loved going through your photos! What a wonderful place to visit!

Kathie Brown said...

Oh Eileen, I hope they don't limit access, because I want to go there! I have been waiting my whole life to see the ponies! I can't wait to read your post about them!

We saw a bunch of sanderlings out on Plum island this past weekend. I hope to get my photos posted soon. They are such cute birds!

Crafty Green Poet said...

what a wonderful video! I love to watch sanderlings racing around like that! (Are your sanderlings the same species as ours i wonder?)

Phil Slade said...

I love those Willets Eileen, very unique wings in flight and one of the US waders that unfortunately don't get blown over here after Irene and Katia.

Kilauea Poetry said...

Wow..discouraging. Though I didn't click the link to the town's responce I hope something will work out. Those present many changes!
I'm glad you included the video..the shore birds are fabulous Eileen with the pastel mood. Your header is lovely as well. Wishing you a peaceful day-

Lew said...

Indeed, a calm and relaxing spot. I especially like your header!

theconstantwalker said...

Wonderful images of your beautiful wildlife...
I really like the new header... a lovely picture.

mick said...

Great sea-side photos. Interesting birds. Sanderlings we have down here as well but not Willett and of course the gulls are different.

betchai said...

those are very cute pictures of willets in flight, love seeing them, they seem to walk so graciously and happily as well.

joo said...

Lovely post Eileen! I adore shore birds, they are so nice to be watched:)

Hootin Anni said...

You just can't beat photos such as these!!! I love it!!

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful video, pictures. I never have seen the Willets before, thanks Eileen.

Springman said...

Loved the video! It gave me such a ocean rush. And how much fun to see the shore birds scampering back and forth in the surf. Just awesome Eileen!

Hilke Breder said...

Beautiful post, Eileen. I love your header photo. Enchanting video! Reminds me of our visit to Chincoteague many years ago. Would love to go back there. By the way, that fat gull picture is priceless!

laurak/ForestWalkArt :) said...

such lovely little birds!! great shots...especially the 'in flight' ones...they're hard to get!! for me, anyway!
i love to watch those shore birds...walking and pecking...along the shoreline...and the tiny footprints they leave...
so nice! thanks!

Vilt og vakkert said...

Heisann1


Sorry for my long break in visiting your wonderful blog!
Her an invitation:
Put on your walking shoes, bring with your camera or paper and pen and document what you see on October 9 and link to my blog!
More information: http://viltogvakkert.blogspot.com/2011/10/bloggers-sunday-walk.html

Join us ;:OD)
Comment on my post on Sunday, and I collect the links and make a new post on Monday!

jeanlivingsimple said...

Eileen, I loved the video. It made me homesick for the ocean as I use to live on the eastern coast.
Hope nothing harsh changes for the birders and nature lovers.

Tammy said...

Oh my gosh, I love the seagull in the puddle!

NatureFootstep said...

thanks for the video. That is a tbehaviour I have not seen. Looks fun when they run in and out as the waves go.

Anonymous said...

Another set of lovely pics! The beach never grows old.

Happy Monday!

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