I fell in love with the huge very well done new mural by Michael Rosato. Later during our stay we attended a lovely history tour by Cindy Faith. Cindy invited the artist. She also started the fund for it (CHINCOTEAGUE: Funding sought for three-story downtown mural – Eastern Shore Post). Besides forays to see the local wildlife I enjoy learning the local history and meeting some of the local people.
Island Library, Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Island Library, Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Misty of Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Silly ducks, Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Mural by Michael Rosato in Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025
We took a morning hike in the National Wildlife Preserve. we moved fast to try to outrun the mosquitoes. The photographs of the buntings (male and female) needed rescuing in Topaz Photo AI. There were hundreds of toads. Many baby ones were the size of my little finger nail. There were very few butterflies. I saw a couple of monarchs, cabbage whites, and one least skipper.
In the afternoon we went to have a rest at Assateague Beach. It was nice and peaceful there under our beach umbrella.
There were hundreds of trucks driving out to the island to dump sand for the new beach parking lot. They created a lot of noise. Here is an article about it: In Chincoteague, A Stampede Against Beach Changes – Times Leader. The town’s residents are not happy about it.
Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Orb Weaver (Arneidae), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Seabeach Evening-primrose (Oenthera humifusa), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Sherry at Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Fowler’s Toad (Anaxyrus fowleri), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Great Egret (Ardea alba), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025Sanderling (Caladris alba), Sanderling (Caladris alba), Chincoteague VA 6/2/2025
At dawn we went to the bridge leading to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. We were reward with a sighting of a Clapper Rail. After breakfast we drove to the refuge and saw lots of wildlife. There are many deer and ticks. I got 4 tick bites during the trip. I spotted one on our car window trying to get in! And there are mosquitoes in multitudes. We saw Chincoteague ponies known as the Assateague horses. Delmarva fox squirrels are only found in that area.
Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025Delmarva fox squirrel (Sciurus niger cinereus), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025Dog Fennel (Eupatorium capillifolium), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025Horse (Equus ferus caballus), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025Horse (Equus ferus caballus), Chincoteague VA 6/1/2025
Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Captain Timothy Hill House, Chincoteague 5/21/2022Assateague Lighthouse 5/21/2022Assateague Lighthouse 5/21/2022Sherry and Marc at Chincoteague 5/21/2022
We covered a more of the Chincoteague NWR and the little Island Nature Trail – Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce with other members of the NY Littoral Society. What made the whole trip so rewarding was the expertise of some of the participants and all the keen eyes and minds. In addition to what I learned during the trip I used my memory, books, and iNaturalist to ID these.
I went out to photograph the sunrise alone. After breakfast our group from the Littoral Society (littoralsociety.org) went for a boat ride with a very knowledgeable young local. We had lunch in town. After lunch we went to Chincoteague NWR.
Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague 5/20/2022Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague 5/20/2022Great Northern Loon (Gavia immer), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Library at Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague 5/20/2022Lichen (15 species on one tree in town), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Lichen (15 species on one tree in town), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Bird carvings, Chincoteague 5/20/2022Blue Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Striped Burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Sand Fiddler Crab (Uca pugilator), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Atlantic ghost crab (Ocypode quadrata), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Sanderling (Caladris alba), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Sanderling (Caladris alba), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Black Rat Snake (Pantherophis obsoletus), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Black Rat Snake (Pantherophis obsoletus), Chincoteague 5/20/2022American white ibis (Eudocimus albus), Chincoteague 5/20/2022 – A LIFE BIRD!Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Red Knot (Calidris canutus), Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Red Knot (Calidris canutus), Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Willet (Tinga semipalmata), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague pony or Assateague horse, Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague pony or Assateague horse, Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague pony or Assateague horse, Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague pony or Assateague horse, Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague pony or Assateague horse, Chincoteague 5/20/2022Chincoteague Lighthouse 5/20/2022Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), Chincoteague 5/20/2022Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus), Chincoteague 5/20/2022
