Chincoteague

Had the opportunity to spend a long weekend at Chincoteague. Got up at dawn the first day to a perfectly still morning on the Back Bay. The old drawbridge mirrored on the calm waters of Chincoteague Channel. Laughing Gulls started their patrols while mallards - and all sorts of mallard hybrids - filtered out of the marsh to forage amongst the piers. A lone fishing boat, the Toots was tied up on the docks.

Eventually a power boat surged through the channel, its wake fracturing the mirror stillness of the channel into a million refractions, catching the morning light. This might be the last summer for the old drawbridge into town. A new bridge that slashes 4000 feet over across the west side of Black Narrows straight to Maddox Boulevard is replacing the old bridge. The traffic engineers may appreciate the value of the modern new span, but it certainly is not iconic or tranquil as the original.

The next morning I again rose with the sun and headed for the Wildlife Refuge. Its was another beautiful morning. Temperatures were in the sixties and the early morning fog was just burning off. It was low tide in the Swan's Cove Pool just behind the beach and the waters were teeming with wading birds - various egrets, ibises, and yellowlegs. Fish were especially concentrated in the deeper channels and laughing gulls, common and forster terns were swooping down feasting. Later, I spotted a flock of black skimmers on the mud flats. On the way out, I stopped at the woodland trail and spotted an endangered Delmarva Fox Squirrel.

Of course, we also had a great sunset. Watched the mallards retire back into the marsh. Large families, some with tiny ducklings, some with almost fully grown ones, followed their mamas back across channel. Then just as the sun set a pod of dolphins cruised under the old bridge and down the channel. Fifteen to twenty of the sleek creatures porpoised past the hotel into the back bay, an unexpected thrill to end the day.

See the main gallery for more photos.