field notes from 02/08/23

Chincoteague beach in January

· Chincoteague NWR, Virginia · Cold wind off the Atlantic, 34°F, clear · Fujifilm X-T5, 150-600mm

Drove down from DC before dawn. Chincoteague in January is nothing like the pony-crossing summer version — it’s cold and the birds are what’s left after the fall migration. A flock of about 80 Snow Buntings was working the wrack line on Assateague Beach when I walked up, and they let me get low and close. I spent an hour on them, alone on that stretch of beach, and walked back with numb hands happy.

Light in winter on the east coast stays sideways long enough that I didn’t feel rushed. Nice change from midsummer birding.

Snow bunting on wrack line
On the wrack. Low angle, belly down on the sand. Snow Bunting 300mm, 1/1000s, f/5.6, ISO 400
Snow buntings in flight
The flock flushing when a dog walked by. Snow Bunting flock 500mm, 1/1000s, f/8, ISO 400
Horned lark on sand
Horned lark at the back of the flock. Horned Lark 250mm, 1/1250s, f/6.3, ISO 800
Sanderling chasing the surf
Sanderlings doing their thing at the edge. Sanderling 200mm, 1/800s, f/6.3, ISO 400
Dunlin with black belly patch visible
A few dunlin mixed in. Dunlin 250mm, 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO 400
Gannet passing offshore
Gannets passing offshore, just. Northern Gannet 600mm, 1/2500s, f/11, ISO 1000
Adult bald eagle on snag
Adult on a snag over the ditch. Bald Eagle, adult 300mm, 1/1250s, f/7.1, ISO 800
Chincoteague pony in dune grass
One of the ponies, blonde mane and all. Wild pony 600mm, 1/800s, f/7.1, ISO 1250
Wide view of Assateague dunes
The dune line from the end of the road. Assateague dunes 23mm, 1/500s, f/8, ISO 200
Great blue heron in a ditch
Heron in a frozen-edged ditch. Stoic. Great Blue Heron 350mm, 1/1600s, f/8, ISO 640
Red fox trotting across road
Red fox on the Wildlife Drive. Casual. Red Fox 200mm, 1/2000s, f/8, ISO 2000