Chincoteague Island, Virginia

 On Sept 19-21, 2021 hubby and I visited Chincoteague Island, the National Wildlife Refuge and National Seashore in Virginia. I love seeing the wild ponies. It is a great place to see migrating birds, shorebirds and waders, geese and ducks. 

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These are images from our first day Sept 19th.

On the top row are the Laughing Gull, Chincoteague wild ponies.Second row: juvenile Little Blue Herons, Snowy Egret with Great Egret, Cattle Egret, adult Little Blue Heron.Bottom row: Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Bald Eagle, sunset and full moon rising.

The Cattle Egret showing it breeding colors on it's crown and back. 

The Chincoteague ponies, some egrets were seen on the ground and on the backs of the ponies. 

Adult Little Blue Heron with a few first year Little Blue Herons are actually white in color showing a two toned bill.

I am guessing at these 3 birds, 2 were larger in size which I believe are the Greater Yellowlegs and the smaller bird in front is the Lesser Yellowlegs.

The Great Egret is obvious with it's long yellow bill and dark legs and feet. 

 Snowy Egret with the taller Great Egret. 

Ponies, Egrets and on the far right is a Tricolored Heron  flying by.

The end of day 2, sunset at Tom's Cove Chincoteague Island NWR.

I hope you enjoyed this post, my photos and our visit to Chincoteague Island NWR. 

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

 July 5-6, 2021 for a short getaway and to see some different scenery we went to Shenandoah National Park. We spent the night in Harrisonburg Va , drove the Skyline Drive both days. We hiked on the Limberlost Trail and the Big Meadows. 

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1. Various images from our Skyline Drive, the hike on Limberlost and Big Meadows, various wildflowers and scenic views. 

2. A skywatch and view from one of the many scenic overlooks on the Skyline Drive. 

4. White-tailed Deer crossing the Skyline Drive. 

5. Another look at the Deer, I enjoy seeing all wildlife. 

6. A Dark-eyed Junco was seen on the Big Meadows camp store parking lot. 

7. Some of the birds we saw on our Shenandoah visit and hikes, A Wood Thrush, Eastern Towhee, Chipping Sparrows, Dark-eyed Junco, Downy Woodpecker, White-tailed Deer, American Robin, Indigo Bunting and am American Redstart.

8. A larger image of the Wood Thrush

8. This was my first time seeing a snail in a shell. 

9. American Redstart, possible Viceroy butterfly, wildflowers, Indigo Bunting. 

10.

An adult Chipping Sparrow with what looks like a juvenile Chipping Sparrow.

11.  A closer look at the Indigo Bunting.

Shenandoah NP is one of our favorite places to visit, we try to visit as often as we can.  I hope you enjoyed going along on our little getaway and my photos.