I saw an egret coexisting for a short while with a heron on a tree. Is this a little blue heron or a tricoloured heron?
These are not the best shots because of the direction of the light and cloud cover. I could not go elsewhere. It was facing land and I was in a kayak.
Looks like the heron is smaller than the Great Egret here.
Still looks smaller than the egret.
The great egret was not bothered by the heron sharing the tree.
In the above picture the heron appears to have a white underbelly. It looks like maybe a bit of a stripe down from its neck to its chest, but not the best angle to see. The eye seems reddish with yellow around it. The feathers around the head appear to be mostly grey with more purplish tones in the back of the head. The sun poked out from the clouds and we have a better view of its colours.
I am guessing this means this is a tricoloured heron. Correct me if I am wrong. What do you think? Either way it is the first time I have seen a tricoloured or a little blue.
There are a lot of great egrets at Assateague. You can many times see them just as you cross over the bridge onto the island. From the island side if you look on both sides of the road at the marsh areas you usually see a few on each side after the bridge.
This is in front of the building right next to the National Park boat launch on Ferry Landing Road.
These were all taken on the bay side of the island from a kayak.
Near one of the nature viewing areas.
I mostly saw egrets standing on trees, or standing next to the water in the grasses. They pose great for pictures!
The kids were all away getting ice cream. My friend’s brother went body surfing before sunset. The waves were big all the days I was at Assateague this year. It seemed to make for good conditions.
Body surfing is just another activity you can do at Assateague Island.
There are lots of opportunities to see wildlife at Assateague Island in Maryland. Besides getting up close views of pelicans at sunrise via paddle board you can also go out on a kayak or paddle board for trips through the marshy areas on the bay. One of the many birds you can see is a green heron.
Green Herons like to hang out at the water’s edge to bring in fish or catch dragonflies. They are small in comparison to great blue herons.
This heron seemed to be quite successful at catching fish.
This one proudly paraded around in the grass with a little fish it caught. There are many things to see at Assateague while on the water. When you go to Assateague don’t ignore the bayside, you may miss out on a lot.
One thing you can do every morning at Assateague Island is go to the ocean side beach and watch the sunrise. Sometimes the horses beat you there.
These pictures are taken at Assateague State Park.
My last day there, the boys said they wanted to get up and paddle board at sunrise. I did not believe them as they have been staying up late ghost crabbing until midnight etc.
Sure enough one of the boys and his dad made their way to the beach after I did and went out paddle boarding. There was cloud cover near the horizon, so the sun did not actually appear until a little after sunrise. The sky was purplish.
Paddle boarder gets a good view of a pelican that flies right in front of him.
At this time of the morning I usually see pelicans flying low over the crests of the waves going south and returning north. The above paddle boarder had the experience of a group of pelicans flying right in front of him on his way out.
The boy and his father went pretty far out but had trouble travelling north. The currents out there were going in two directions.
For the days I was there I was the only one who got up each day to watch the sunrise.
The other boys made it out to watch the two brave the ocean during sunrise. Usually several people are on the beach each morning at the state park for the rising of the sun. Just another way to enjoy Assateague Island!
One of the many activities you can do at Assateague Island is paddle board. The best place to go is on the bay side of the island , Sinepuxent Bay. The best time to go when there is no bad weather expected and the winds are not too high.
This is not far from the state boat launch.
One place to put in that I recommend is the state board launch on the mainland side of the Verrazano Bridge. It is across from the Assateague Island National Seashore Visitor’s Center. This one is free and there are two boat launches and plenty of parking in a paved lot. You can also walk from the parking lot/ grass area to a small beach area on the water.
Water pathways thru the marshes are mostly on the island side of the bay. The water near the edges of these is usually shallow.
The other place I recommend is the launch at the national park at the end of Ferry Landing Road. This has some spots near the launch and a restroom. You would have to pay to get to this launch as you have to go through the toll booth inside the park. The fee is over 20 dollars for a seven day pass. Veterans can get a free lifetime pass. There is also a pass for seniors.
It is possible to catch crabs, and clams and see many types of waterfowl in these locations.
There are also free places to launch on the right hand side of the road when you are going from the bridge into the park before you get to the troll booths. You are allowed to park and launch where there is extra shoulder with rocks and there is a beach like area where the water comes right up close to the road.
You cannot park on the island side of the Verrazano Bridge. I have seen people do that in the past, but last year there seemed to be an issue with people respecting the horses, so that is no longer allowed. There are signs up saying no parking and usually there is a ranger there sitting in a vehicle making sure no one is stopping when the horses are present.
There is a lot to do at Assateague besides swim and camp. Get out and enjoy a variety of activities.
I made a short trip to Assateague Island, Maryland for a few days to meet friends who secure a campsite every year. To get the week they want, they have four devices up and ready to click at the moment the campsites go up on the website for that week the following year. One device got the reservation. I guess July is the harder month to try to reserve because schools in the southern U.S. and north both have off that entire month, whereas June and August they don’t.
This horse was on the beach at sunrise at the state park camper’s beach. I was there three days and two of the days at sunrise the horses were there to watch the sun come up. The beach is a short walk from the campsites and over a dune. It is worth getting up at 5 or 5:30 to watch the beautiful sunrise with the added bonus of horses!
What is one event in the summer that involves watching wild horses? If you are in the Assateague Island, Maryland or the Chincoteague Island, Virginia area in July it would be one of the pony swims. This year I was lucky enough to see it, even if it was from a great distance.
If you get there early enough you can park at the parking lot across from the Carnival Grounds. Otherwise you can park at the Chincoteague Municipal Center. There are shuttle buses that take you from the Municipal Center and stop at points south along the way to Memorial Park where viewing is free.
Leaving Assateague Island
Salt Water Cowboys leading the wild horses into the water from Assateague Island.
To say this was far away from where I was standing is an understatement. I had a zoom lens with 1.4 added on and these are heavily cropped. The pictures above and below this paragraph are the first leg of the swim. It is a short swim.
I brought my kayak, but did not get there early enough to find out where I could park and put into the water. No public access was marked for kayaks on the maps I was given.
2nd Leg of the Journey
Horses swimming the second leg of the swim ending on Chincoteague Island near Pony Swim Lane. As you can see booking a seat on a tour boat gives you the best view.
Obviously the best view in the house is from a boat. There are some charter boats that I understand you need to book well in advance. Private docks that were far away with a better view than Memorial Park required $200 fee and you had to sign up well in advance.
Resting on Chincoteague
The horses rested here for an hour or more.
After they make the swim they rest and cool down on marshland on Chincoteague Island next to Pony Swim Lane. There are places around where they corral them that you can view them up close before they move on.
Evidently this dock or pier you needed permission or you had to pay a fee to get on. I asked if I could, they said no. Some of these things I understand need to be booked long in advance.Salt water cowboys kept the herd from getting too close to the fence.
Pony Parade
The police led the parade followed by evidently the governor of Virginia. I had no idea who he was until I asked two people standing next to me. I live in another state.
The parade started as they herd the horses down Pony Swim Lane. From there they turn onto Ridge Road going South then Beebe Road heading west. Then they make a turn north onto Main Street. After that they herd them to the Carnival Grounds north of Bunting Road. This was the parade route this year.
Some of the salt water cowboys in the lead.
These are wild horses. Do not get close. They will bite. A few times I saw horses try to make a run for it going off the road into people’s yards. The cowboys directed them back onto the road.
Local support
Carnival Grounds/ Auction Location
One of the young horses for sale.
The horses are brought to the Carnival Grounds. The day after the parade they were auctioned off. Horses that were not bought swim back Friday after the Pony Swim and auction.
The fire department sells food and tee shirts at the fairgrounds. I did not see any rides operating. It may have been due to Covid.
Movie
The movie theatre plays Misty.
There is a movie theatre north of the Carnival Grounds that plays Misty for free on some days the week of the Pony Swim. Misty of Chincoteague was a book written by Marguerite Henry. She also wrote other books about the horses. A film adaptation of the book was made in the 1960s. It was about a real horse bought from the local auction. At the movie premiere they put the horse footprints in front of the theatre. There is also a statue of Misty on Main Street south of the theatre on the west side of the street. I was told the production used many local people in the movie outside the main characters.
I recommend this event for most people. If you have children or grandchildren you could read the book by Marguerite Henry before you visit and see the movie while you are there. If you love animals this would be a chance for you to see many wild horses up close during the parade and auction. This long standing tradition is a bucket list type trip that many would enjoy. As with any event look online to see when it occurs next year and plan well in advance.
Another activity you can do while visiting Assateague is to go clamming. You have a lot more available to you if you search for a spot via kayak. That is exactly what we did.
I followed this group to search for clams. We went to a boat ramp area to launch from. It is ten dollars per car to put in your boats at Assateague Island State Boat Ramp. It is actually on the mainland before you cross over the Bridge to Assateague Island. This is one spot to put your kayaks in the water. There is ample parking in the lot. We went before sunset.
A location. with a sandy sea floor seemed best. Some felt around with their feet. Others swam under the water to feel with their hands. Adults mainly used rakes or clamming baskets.
I feel something down in the sand.The clam retriever goes all in.Success!One of the adults who used a rake or clamming basket.Clamming basketThey had buckets and nets to collect the clams in.He had a bagful.No tools required!Packing up and ready for the return trip.Nice view of the Verrazano Bridge. Not the one in NYC. This one is in Maryland.
I think the final total for this clamming trip was 130 clams or so. They soaked them in salt water then fresh from what I understand. Then they had a feast a few days later. Get out and enjoy nature and work for your food. It makes you enjoy it all the more.
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