Virginia - Chincoteague

Chincoteague



Looking north as I cross Mosquito Creek, one of the many waterways connecting the northern Chincoteague Bay to the southern Chincoteague Inlet. The eponymous island is on the east side of the eponymous channel. Eponymous? More like e-pony-mous. That's what Chincoteague is known for.


I've made it across Chincoteague Island to Maddox Blvd., and I'm now looking south at the 1867 Assateague Lighthouse. (Quite the names around here.) Although Chincoteague is known for ponies, they actually live here in the e-pony-mous wildlife refuge, which is completely on Assateague. But named Chincoteague. Maybe there was a problem getting a national area named Ass.


But first, let me be besieged by flocks of waterfowl. Most of these dudes are great egrets, with a couple of snowy egrets thrown in (black beaks, like the bad hair day dude in the third photo). The little floating guys on the left are juvenile egrets, while a couple of interloping least terns hang out with them like they belong. A group of ibises recognizes they're out of place, and hide quietly in a cove on the right.


Once again there are several great egrets, two snowy egrets (including the one in the last photo), and another tern photobombing for sport.


Amongst the Insecta of Assateague include the beautiful dragonfly and the repulsive biteyfly. Not knowing what it actually is, I think that's the best description. Don't visit while it's alive.


Ah, here's that lighthouse. It could use a fresh coat of paint.


At least the oil lamps are well fueled - oh, wait, that went out of fashion in 1933. It took a lot of Assateague whales to keep the lighthouse going.

Parting view.


But you came here to see PONIES. That's why everyone comes here. So I'll start you off lightly with a Chincoteague Pony statue. A good rule of statue quality is to look at the back. If there's this much detail paid to a butt, imagine the detail that went into the rest of the body that people care about. And hey, that rooster sure is interested.


PONIES. Humans aren't allowed near them, so the only views are at maximum zoom almost a mile away. The birds have unfettered access, not that the horses are exactly tossing off scraps of fish from their grassy meals. A couple of the photos have foals, or ponies².

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PONIES!