Chincoteague Island

The marshes, mudflats, forests, channels, & ocean are gorgeous. We had rain, mist, & sunshine during 3 cool days here. I hiked the Marsh, Lighthouse, & Woodland trails, & we drove all over. Visited both "nature centers." Ate high tea at the Channel Bass Inn (enough for 2 meals with thin smoked salmon & cream cheese sandwiches, tomato & sharp cheddar sandwiches, 4 different kinds of scones with clotted cream, butterscotch pecan tart, & a mixed-dried-fruit pastry. Drank gallons of tea.) Ate shrimp & crabcakes at both Don's (!) & Etta's.  

New birds for the life list:
Bobwhites, Willets, Dunlins, American Oystercatchers, Lesser Golden-Plover, Black Skimmers, Virginia Rail, Ruddy Turnstones, Glossy Ibises, Great-crested Flycatcher, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Laughing Gulls (which remind me of Kookaburras in their crazy laugh).

Also seen: Great Blue Herons, Green-backed Heron, Tricolor Heron, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Cattle Egrets, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Black Vultures, Common Terns, Semipalmated Plovers, Loon, Brown Pelicans, Double-crested Cormorants, Barn & Tree Swallows, Purple Martins, Indigo Buntings, Hummingbird, Yellow Warbler, & Amy saw Summer Tanagers.

Oh, and did I mention ponies? And more ponies? Oh yes, and ponies.