Hi everyone, I am linking up with Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday.. I hope everyone is a having a Happy Columbus Day weekend. It is great to have a long weekend. But, this post on last weekend's visit to Chincoteague Island, Virginia. It was a great weekend seeing lots of great birds, the famous Chincoteague wild ponies and a climb to the top of the lighthouse.
In this mosaic, the top row includes the Assateague Lighthouse and it celebrated its 144th birthday last weekend. I was surprised it is called the Assateague Lighthouse and not the Chincoteague Lighthouse. We visited both the Chincoteague National wildlife refuge and the refuge is connected to the Assateague National Seashore. Next to the lighthouse is a Little Blue Heron and last top row photo is a Great Egret. On the bottom row I have a Cattle Egret sitting on one of the Chincoteague ponies, a Bald Eagle and a few Willets at the beach.
This Merlin swooped down next to our car to catch it's dinner, a huge dragonfly.
We were told there are at least two nesting pairs of Eagles on the wildlife refuge. This Eagle was perched in a great spot with the evening sunlight shining on him/her.
This weekend is the Columbus Day holiday weekend and it seems to be going by so fast already. Yesterday, I joined in with my bird club on a walk at a nearby nature center which was a lot of fun. Great birds and surprisingly saw some beautiful late blooming wildflowers. I see another post coming up on my bird club outing and a new lifer. And today I spent most of the day with two of my cousins visiting with them and going to two cemeteries where my grandparents and great grandparents are buried. Besides blogging I have become interested in working on my family tree at Ancestry.com.
To see more wonderful mosaics, please visit Mary's Mosaic Monday and for more great photos and posts check out Our World Tuesday. Thanks to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday and to the nice gang at Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Sanday, Lady Fi and Sylvia. I hope you enjoyed my post and I hope everyone has a wonderful week.
In the mosaic above, the top first row photos is a Merlin and was a lifer for me, the second I was told it is a juvenile Black Bellied Plover. They look nothing like the adult black Bellied Plover but I thought it was a cute bird. The last top row photo is one of the Chincoteague ponies. Bottom photos are what I think is a juvenile Snowy Egret and a single Pelican and last shot is a group of pelicans over the flying over the ocean.
In this mosaic, the top row includes the Assateague Lighthouse and it celebrated its 144th birthday last weekend. I was surprised it is called the Assateague Lighthouse and not the Chincoteague Lighthouse. We visited both the Chincoteague National wildlife refuge and the refuge is connected to the Assateague National Seashore. Next to the lighthouse is a Little Blue Heron and last top row photo is a Great Egret. On the bottom row I have a Cattle Egret sitting on one of the Chincoteague ponies, a Bald Eagle and a few Willets at the beach.
I always think it is neat to see the Cattle Egrets riding the ponies.
I could be wrong but I believe this yellow legged egret is a juvenile Snowy Egret.
We climbed the stairs to the top of lighthouse and had a great view of Chincoteague Island and the ponies. We could even see the egrets below and watched Ospreys flying nearby.
We were told there are at least two nesting pairs of Eagles on the wildlife refuge. This Eagle was perched in a great spot with the evening sunlight shining on him/her.
This weekend is the Columbus Day holiday weekend and it seems to be going by so fast already. Yesterday, I joined in with my bird club on a walk at a nearby nature center which was a lot of fun. Great birds and surprisingly saw some beautiful late blooming wildflowers. I see another post coming up on my bird club outing and a new lifer. And today I spent most of the day with two of my cousins visiting with them and going to two cemeteries where my grandparents and great grandparents are buried. Besides blogging I have become interested in working on my family tree at Ancestry.com.
To see more wonderful mosaics, please visit Mary's Mosaic Monday and for more great photos and posts check out Our World Tuesday. Thanks to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday and to the nice gang at Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Sanday, Lady Fi and Sylvia. I hope you enjoyed my post and I hope everyone has a wonderful week.
59 comments:
just so neat to see the ponies and all the birds too. :)
What a great variety of birds!! I've never visited Chincoteague but it's on my list!!
HI Eileen,
What an amazing place...I recall reading of the Chincoteague ponies when I was a child...anything horse was HIGH On my list of special..
YOU made some awesome photo collages and I really love the merlin and the Pony riding Egret!
Hi Eileen, What outstanding shots! I sure do like the pictures of the Egret and especially the Bald Eagle! Have a super good coming week!
What a beautiful area and lovely photos. I particularly like the view from the lighthouse.
I've heard of this but your photos tell a good story. They are lovely. Have a good week!
Hi Eileen ...What a great blog you have!!
This post I really like ...The horses are amazing with the Egrets sitting on there back!!
Your photo's of the birds are wonderful to see!!
It was very warm here today 88 degrees in October....I love it!!
Grace
Wow, amazing captures....I love egrets...they are so graceful.
The horse shots are awesome. Hope you had a great long weekend.
I always enjoy your posts. You manage to see the most wonderful birds. V
There are some wonderful shots there! Your header is particularly beautiful.
What a fun place to visit! Love the pictures!
Eileen,
What wonderful pictures! I love the Egret on the ponies back. Sounds like you had a fun adventure. I visited my first lighthouse last Fall in WI. I so enjoyed the history of it. Thanks for sharing!
What great shots! Looks like you are having a great weekend.
I really enjoyed seeing all these fabulous birds in the wild. Lovely!
Looks like a wonderful place with lots of wildlife. Enjoy your weekend :) Thank you for your wonderful comments. I love your doggy blog too - I had a dog for 13 years but she died 2 years ago, I miss her dearly and can't bring myself to get another one just yet, but I enjoy seeing other dogs and the joy they bring to everyone.
Your photographs are stunning and what fabulous mosaics they make.
I've never heard of this wonderful place before, many thanks for the virtual tour.
Happy MM
Maggie
That is neat how the egrets sit on the horses backs.
And I love the overview of the refuge-beautiful views up there.
Your photos are always so grand! These are no exception!!! Thank you!! Cathy
A beautiful collage.
Eileen, Your photographs are always so stunning! You really are a good photographer, I feel like I've just looked through a beautiful nature magazine. I love all the shots, the birds are interesting and the eagle spectacular. The ponies must have been awesome to photograph. Great post.........
~Emily
The French Hutch
What nice photographs/collages you have from your visit to Chincoteague. I wish we lived closer, I'm sure I would visit the island often too! LOVED the pictures of the cattle egret sitting on the pony!
Wonderful shots. Looks like great fun and a lifer to boot! Love the ponies and the egrets. Great shots, as usual, Eileen. Thanks for taking me along!
Over from MM..Wow..amazing photos. One of my favorite states. ~ Have a great week.
Beautiful photos Eileen! this looks like a fun and interesting place to visit.
What beautiful photos! The one of the egret is particularly striking.
That is such a beautiful area and I also love the birds on the ponies' backs!
what stunning shots, eileen!
can't stop looking at them!
the ponies, the birds, everything is so great!
your photos are always worth the look!
betty
Hi Eileen, what a wonderful array of photos..I love the pony with the bird! Someday I hope to photograph horses and the closest I get to birds are the sparrows in the back yard. lol!
Oh Eileen - I love, love, love all of these - we might go to Chincoteague next summer with family and these photos make me want to go more! Looks like a fabulous visit.
What an amazing day for spotting wildlife! It's always such a thrill to see an eagle! You got great photos! Enjoy your week! ♥
what beautiful photos, I particularly like the egrets riding the ponies and the beautiful light in the last photo of the eagle
Hahaha I like that bird on top of the horse. Happy Monday!
Fall Colors
Awesome shots, I love your mosaics! Wish you a great week!
Irene
What fantastic captures, Eileen! Love the ponies and particularly those having a visit from the birds!! How fun! Terrific, fun look at this part of your world! Thanks for sharing it with us! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Sylvia
Fantastic post. That's amazing that the egrets ride the ponies. What a wonderful place to explore.
These are lovely mosaics that show the richness of our environment. Viewing nature and then visiting ancestors who have passed away certainly makes one appreciate and ponder the circle of life.
Great series, Eileen!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
Wonderful Eileen! The cattle egrets are mis-named here -- wild pony egrets? Guess they serve the same purpose on either. Again, I love this post on one of our favorite ever places.
(BTW, You are a busy lady -- I gave up Ancestry stuff -- too time consuming -- I'm letting my sister do it ;>)
I've enjoyed your photos immensely Eileen. When I went there a few years ago I only saw the ponies from a distance and only got some specs on a shot. Hope to go back there one day.
what an amazing place for viewing such a beautiful varity of wildlife.
i forced myself to pick a favorite and it was the eagle, i seriously would have wet my pants!! it's a beautiful photo, you should be very proud of it!!
What fantastic photos! I would enjoy seeing the Cattle Egrets myself :)
These are gorgeous!
Spectacular photo of the eagle! It deserves a post for itself:)
You always have such delightful captures. I don't have so much nature around.
What a great place for birding. With the changing seasons I hope to get to some of California's great birding spots.
Family history is also a great hobby, I find it to be a treasure hunt.
Beautiful shots. This sure is a exciting place.
Hi Eileen, Thanks for stopping by my blog today! Nice to find a fellow genealogist, who also likes to take photos. I'm still learning - all trial and error. Your photos are amazing - great wildlife shots. When we visited my in-laws in Florida for Christmas a few years ago, we saw white birds sitting on the cattle. Thanks for letting me know what they're called. Stop by again, anytime.
XoXo
Joy
ah, the way birds are supposed to be captured. you have great shots.
Hey there..so you climbed up to the lighthouse.. wow what an incredible view!! I really enjoy those Egrets and the whole scene here. That Eagle is fabulous perched up there!
Well, it did go fast didn't it. I do wish you a wonderful week..perhaps it will go faster (ha)
happy Columbus Day, Eileen, unfortunately, I do not get the day off.
How lovely to see those brown and white combination ponies.
This reserve has so many wildlife species.
such a great variety of birds and your mosaics are wonderful. thanks for sharing your world.
Hi there - what a great set of pictures. The Merlin is a nice capture – it’s been a very long time since I've seen one of them!
I also like the egrets on horseback.
Cheers - Stewart M - Australia
Beautiful collage and bird pictures ! it must be difficult to take pictures of birds, I am always busy with my cats, lol !
We don't have a Columbus day, I don't know who discovered us !
really gorgeous!
When my children were young...back MANY years ago...we used to go there on vacation every summer. Love the photo collages. They bring back so many memories. Know you had a wonderful time. And, yes...I am so happy to back on the internet. It was awful waiting for it al to be fixed and up and running again. genie
Beautiful photos and my favourite is the cattle egrets riding the ponies.
fun fun stuff, Eileen! Love the mosaics! :)
I've heard a lot about this area, but have never been there. Wonderful photos! I love the ones of the egrets riding the cattle!
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