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By January, winter has fully settled in on Chincoteague. The comings and goings of fall are over, and the birds that remain have chosen this island as their winter home. This is the most static month of the year on the refuge — nothing is arriving, n… Read more
November is waterfowl month on the refuge. The ducks that started trickling in during October arrive in force, Tundra Swans settle onto Swan Cove and the pools along the Wildlife Loop, and by the end of the month big flocks of Snow Geese lift off the… Read more
September is a great month on the birding calendar here. Three migrations are stacked on top of each other at once. Shorebirds are moving through in real numbers now. Raptors funnel down the Delmarva Peninsula and stall out right here rather than cro… Read more
People ask us this at the front desk more than just about anything else. Horses aren't native to North America, so whatever's out on that marsh today arrived somehow in the last four hundred years and then got loose. How they managed it is the part n… Read more
The last week of August is one of the best times to visit Chincoteague Island: peak-summer crowds have thinned, ocean water is at its warmest, the wild ponies are here year-round, and rates come down from peak-summer pricing. Quick facts: Chincoteagu… Read more
Everyone who's stayed at the Refuge Inn has heard some version of Donald Leonard's story: the boy who couldn't be found unless you looked for the ponies, the dreamer who built an iconic motel with a little luck and a lot of help from his family and f… Read more
August doesn't get the same hype as the big spring and fall pushes, but that works in your favor. The light is gorgeous in the early morning, and the refuge is busy in a different way. The marsh steadily turns into a shorebird buffet as the month pro… Read more
July doesn't get talked about as much as spring or fall, and we think that's unfair. Yes, it's hot, and yes, you'll want bug spray. But this is the month when the whole nesting season pays off—chicks are hatching, fledglings are testing their wings, … Read more
Spring migration is winding down, and nesting season is in full swing. Osprey are feeding young, marsh birds are active throughout the day, and the skies are filled with the sounds of summer. June is a great time to watching birds go about their dail… Read more
.png&w=3840&q=75 "A small bird with a blue head and yellow belly perched on a branch amidst green foliage.")
May is one of the most active months on Chincoteague. You don’t need a big plan to enjoy it. Step outside at the inn, spend some time along the tree line, or head into the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. Movement is constant this time of year—… Read more