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By Cyndel Brunell

”What kind of bird is that?”

“How much smaller are the Chincoteague ponies from regular sized horses?”

“Are there any foals this time of year?”

“How deep is the water they swim in?”

If you want answers to these questions and many more you should take the bus tour out into the wilderness of Assateague Island on the East Coast of Virginia. On this ride you will see the world famous Chincoteague ponies and other wildlife in their natural habitat. 

The tour bus begins it 2012 schedule April 6 with a Friday trip at 4 p.m. For current information regarding wildlife tours, or to purchase tickets, inquire at the refuge visitor center or call the CNHA office at (757) 336-3696

The CNHA offers visitors the opportunity to tour the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge during the months of April to November. The tour accesses areas of the refuge that are normally only open to foot traffic. The tour covers approximately 15 miles and lasts about 90 minutes.

Depending on the time of year, foals may be frolicking in the vast forest and bush of the island or mares may be grazing in the saltwater grasses. Always standing guard nearby, is the stallion who commands a band of mares and foals. The bus leaves from near the information center and has now been in operation for a little over six years. In October I went on my first bus tour. The tours are ran by the Chincoteague Natural History Association, a large group of volunteers that supports agencies that run this national park in many ways.

The bus takes you 7 ½ miles out into the wilderness. Inside the bus there is a wheelchair lift, two double seated flip up benches, and individual seats two next to each other going down the aisle. Each seat has a very large window with hatches so you can take pictures without the interference of glass. Some drivers will tell you not to open the hatches, however. Many people from around the world go to the refuge to experience this tour of the island trails.

You can see many ponies of the larger northern herd on this trip, the herd that is kept out of sight of the public until Pony Penning. This is the big event that draws thousands to Chincoteague and Assateague each July. Ponies are not the only animals you will see on this relaxing yet exciting nearly two-hour journey. The smaller southern herd of wild ponies is sometimes seen right from your car on the right side of Beach Road, on the way out to the Atlantic Ocean.

On your bus trip you may also see sika elk, white tailed deer, turtles, egrets, snow geese, hawks, eagles, Canada geese, the glossy ibis and other migrating birds. With any luck you might see a Delmarva fox squirrel, an endangered animal that gets lots of attention from park managers. And in the nesting season you might get a distant look at a piping plover cage that provides protection against predators. The piping plover is a small at risk bird. Each trip promises something new.

The driver will stop or slow down whenever they see something and will normally give you a description of the animal. On rare occasions however, there can be a few surprises that you may not see regularly. Horses sometimes interact with other animals, or a predator bird catching food in a near-view. There are always unexpected happenings on this tour.

One thing is for certain though, you are sure to learn a lot about this historic barrier island from the driver-tour guides. The drivers are very well informed and just full of interesting details. You will most likely be with people from all over the country and even other countries. The questions above the first paragraph were asked on a tour this past summer by guests from Annapolis, Md., Long Island, New York; Michigan and Accomack County.

This is not a rushed tour and it is not expensive. For tour times and prices go to www.assateague.com. One word of caution, there are nice, clean restrooms at the information center where you buy your tickets, but this is the last one you will see until you return. Passengers are not allowed to get off the bus.

The information center which now runs the bus tours is where you buy tickets. It is a good idea to call in advance, because many trips are sold out. Officials of the historical association have talked about getting another bus. Also they run special tours upon request in advance. I hope I have inspired some readers to consider going on this tour. It is the only way, really, to be sure you will see the wild ponies up close by traveling on land. Unless, of course you want to hike the seven miles out, which some people do. The drivers and tour guides are well informed. I will assure you that you will at least be stunned, marveled, fascinated or surprised at things you may see or learn. I know I enjoyed this wilderness adventure and hope you will too.

At the Chincoteague refuge, volunteers will be on hand to tally and discuss the species in the backyard bird garden of the Herbert H. Bateman Educational Center.  As seasoned local birdwatchers, knowledgeable about local bird species, native plants, and bird-feeding tips, these volunteers will share stories of the species they observe while providing more information to visitors on creating backyard habitats. 

The four-day event is open to bird watchers of all ages and skill levels. Participants watch birds for any length of time on one or more days of the count and enter their tallies (at no charge) at www.birdcount.org.  From reports of rare species to large-scale tracking of bird movements, the GBBC provides insight into the lives of birds. The results provide a snapshot of the whereabouts of more than 600 bird species.  Citizen participants become scientists, just by counting and observing.

“This bird count offers individuals and families a chance to learn more about the winter visitors to their backyard,” said Kevin Holcomb, Refuge Biologist at Chincoteague NWR, “while also providing valuable data to scientists and conservation researchers.”

Mid-February is chosen as the time for the Great Backyard Bird Count because it offers a good picture of the birds typically found throughout the winter months.  It also coincides with migration for some species, such as egrets or marsh birds. That window of transition affords an opportunity to detect changes in timing for northward migration.

On the www.birdcount.org website, participants can explore real-time maps and charts that show what others are reporting during the count. The site has tips to help identify birds and special materials for educators. Participants may also enter the GBBC photo contest by uploading images taken during the count. Many images will be featured in the GBBC website’s photo gallery. All participants are entered in a drawing for prizes that include bird feeders, binoculars, books, CDs, and many other great birding products.

The bird count is a joint project of the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology with Canadian partner Bird Studies Canada.  For additional details on the Refuge’s bird count event at the Herbert H. Bateman Educational Center, call 757-336-6122 or visit http://www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/.

The winning artwork will be the official trademark of the celebration to be held at the refuge on May 12, 2012.  It will appear on event-related materials including the program, flyers, T-shirts and other items.

International Migratory Bird Day will celebrate its 20th anniversary.  Created in 1993, this year’s theme Connecting People to Bird Conservation will focus on 20 ways people may help preserve birds every day.

“The logo art contest is a great way to connect people to bird conservation and the beauty of birds,” said Refuge Manager Lou Hinds.  Nature found at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge has always been a source of inspiration for artists.”

 Artists should submit an original line-art drawing of a migratory bird that can be seen on the refuge except for the past three winners, belted kingfisher, eastern bluebird and great horned owl.  In order to compete, submitted art must be an original, line art drawing in pen and ink.   Artists may submit as many pieces as they wish.  The logo art should be clean and precise, as it will be reduced to fit in a number of event-related items, including buttons that are approximately three inches in diameter. 

The contestants’ art will not be mailed back. However, contestants may pick up their artwork at the refuge after the contest has ended.   The only exception is the winning submission, which will become the property of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Contestants must submit their art work to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge by close of business on Thursday, March 30, 2012.

To submit a drawing, please send artwork to Sally Bowden at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, P.O. Box 62, Chincoteague, Virginia, 23336.  For more information, call (757) 336-6122.

The Camp is full of fun and educational outdoor activities that explore the six priority uses of the National Wildlife Refuge System, said Park Ranger Aubrey Hall.

Activities can include crabbing, clamming, archery, surf fishing, bicycling and kayaking.  Day Camp is offered to children who have successfully completed 3rd, 4th, or 5th grades by summer 2012 and must be between 8 and 11 years old.

Applications for the children in the Woods Day Camp are now available at the Herbert H. Bateman Educational and Administrative Center and online at ww.fws.gov/northeast/chinco.  A lottery will be held to select 14 participants for each session. Preference will be given to those who have not previously attended Children in the Woods Day Camp. Applications for the camp must be hand delivered or received in the refuge office by 5 p.m. on May 15. 

Three sessions will be offered this year.  There is a fee of $50.00 per participant, but scholarships are available.  There is a single application for June, July and August day camps. The sessions are:  Session 1: June 18 – 22, 2012 

Session 2: July 16 – 20, 2012

Session 3: August 6 – 10, 2012

If mailing, send application(s) to:

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Attn:  Children in the Woods Day Camp

P.O. Box 62

Chincoteague, VA 23336

The Children in the Woods Day Camp is sponsored by the Chincoteague Natural History Association.  To learn more and see memorable photos from past camps, visit their website at www.piping-plover.org. Go to the Kids Corner tab and click on Children in the Woods.

For more information, contact Aubrey Hall, Park Ranger, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge at (757) 336-6122 ext. 324.

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By Sonora Hannah

In 2010, a non-profit organization called the Feather Fund made my life-long dream come true when they bought a four month old colt for me at the famous Pony Penning auction in Chincoteague Island, VA. That colt was my pony Mincaye (Min-KY-yee) who is literally my childhood dream come to life! And because of him, I am living yet another dream come true…training my own horse.

Hannah teaches Min how to shake hands.

The first step in Min’s training was for me to gain his trust. He was very nervous and frightened in the beginning and would turn tail to me every time I entered his stall. I desensitized him to touch by rubbing him all over with my hand, then with a lead rope; and then I built on that by tossing the lead over his back and around his legs. Once he realized that I was not going to hurt him, his fear began to melt away. I spent hours reading books aloud to him or just talking to him, getting him used to my voice and presence. I also introduced grooming tools to him and worked on the concepts of standing tied, leading, and picking up his feet. There is an entire world of things to teach a horse even when he is too young to ride!

When I first started working with Min, I had a tendency to become so frustrated with myself for not knowing how to deal with a situation that I would often wallow in a complete sense of hopelessness. I have since realized that I am much better off forgiving myself for my mistakes and persevering to acquire the knowledge I need to fix a problem. It is inevitable that I will make mistakes in training my first horse, but my biggest regret has been that I did not begin “formal” groundwork as soon as I had Min’s trust. I now feel it is very important to have a training program to follow in order to know what it is you are doing and what goals you are headed towards in your pony’s training. At first I simply took bits and pieces of advice from anywhere I could get it, but it wasn’t until I found world-renowned trainer Clinton Anderson and his program that I really began to make headway in Mincaye’s training. Unfortunately by the time I found Clinton, I had already allowed Min to develop some bad habits; thankfully, by following his method, I am beginning to see those bad habits unravel and disappear.

Mincaye has always been highly curious, full of energy, and just a tad bit devious. He is the smartest equine I have ever met, which in the one sense is in my favor, but it also means I need to study hard so that I will know what to do in any given situation when working with him. The pushy, disrespectful behavior I allowed him to develop in the beginning has proved to be one of my biggest challenges. However I am learning to become the kind of leader Mincaye can respect, and that is, I believe, the key to being a good horse trainer. Being consistently clear and concise with your cues, always rewarding the horse for giving the correct response, and taking the time to build on his successes (never expecting too much too soon) are all important things to remember in training horses. Body language, too, plays a monumental role in communicating with horses, because that is the language they use with each other. Horses are amazingly intelligent creatures, and they learn very quickly when we take the time to “speak” to them in their own language rather than enforcing our ideas on them without so much as asking.

The first thing I ever really taught Mincaye was how to shake hands. I can still remember the absolute thrill I felt when I saw that he had made the connection between my cue and the action of lifting his foreleg! I continue to feel an overwhelming sense of joy and accomplishment whenever I teach Mincaye something new. I work with him every day that I can, but with the snowy, soggy winter weather and no arena or round pen, I have to be careful of slippery footing. For this reason I am anticipating the coming of sunny weather more than ever! When things dry out again, I hope to work with Mincaye as many as six days a week as he will soon be two years old and I am eager to prepare him to start under saddle. The time I have spent and have yet to spend working with Min from the ground is an invaluable part of training him to become a good riding horse; but most of all it provides a wonderful opportunity to build  a friendship which will last a lifetime.

Training my own Chincoteague Pony is proving to be every bit as magical an adventure as I thought it would be! My ultimate goal in Mincaye’s training is to ride him bareback and bridleless, but in the meantime I choose to glory in our journey as we continue to learn and grow together. Mincaye is beyond the shadow of a doubt my dream horse, and with him, every day is a priceless treasure.

Publisher, Wild Pony Tales

This is the time of year when the outstanding work of the biologists and park rangers at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the National Park Service is showcased, helped along of course by the arrival of the snow geese and other migrating waterfowl.

I sometimes worry that the year-long fallout from the alternative beach parking controversy will overshadow all that is good about having the Refuge so close, about having a place we can go where it is quiet and we can, at least for a few hours, give our minds a break.

No matter what our views are on the future of beach parking and refuge management let’s not forget to give credit to the highly qualified and dedicated staff members who keep the place running every day of the year. I do not say this tritely or lightly.

I have taken our writers to Assateague many times to gather information for the stories on this website and I cannot recall an instance when our sources – I mean Lou Hinds, his managers, the biologists and park rangers – were not helpful and knowledgeable. Most of the people at the Refuge have degrees it took them years to obtain.

When I was teaching journalism in middle school I would sometimes have a student working on a class assignment call Amanda Daisy, the wildlife biologist, right from class, a real life interview by a 6th or 7th grader.

On a sad note I want to mention a park ranger who was especially helpful to us, Barry Brookshire. Barry was at the Refuge for 16 months until his contract ran out and then he returned to his home in Texas. But soon after he was found to have a malignant tumor in his colon. Doctors were successful in treating Barry but he has been unable to return to work. While at the Refuge he answered many questions for our young writers with all the patience of the teacher that he once was. At the Refuge Barry was what he called a “roving ranger,” moving around the pathways, talking to people, answering questions. If he didn’t know the answer he would go and find it.

Waterfowl Week is a special time at the Refuge. We have the event highlights in another story but what follows are more details, the times, places and descriptions of the activities coming up over Thanksgiving. Every single event is worth attending.

One of the big issues I have with the whole Assateague show is how easy it is to come here and never see a pony, or see them only at a great distance. When our niece, Marcy, was little I don’t think we got to see any ponies, except the ones at McDonalds for which I was thankful, until her third visit. And she only made it here once a year. We did see plenty of evidence, but few ponies.

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By Kate White

Co-Editor, Wild Pony Tales

If the two members of the Maryland Conservation Corps who gave a presentation on raptors at the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge were looking for an enthusiastic audience they had to look no further than the first two rows of the auditorium.

It was the International Migratory Bird Day Festival at the Virginia refuge and two representatives from the Maryland Park Service had taken their Scales and Tales program on the road.

On the first two rows were members of the visiting O’Brian family from New Jersey. So when the presenters asked questions, such as what adaption meant and what was camouflage the hands of the younger spectators were ready and waiting. Their hands went up quickly followed by enthusiastic answers.

Erica McGrath told the audience the program she and her assistant, Samantha Ford, worked in was called Scales and Tales. Erica explained that what they do is take care of animals they find in captivity and mistreated or found unable to take care of themselves in the wild. Once in Sales and Tales  the animals and birds are treated for and taken care for until they die.

Sales and Tales is located at the Pocomoke River State Park, just north of the Virginia line.

The presenters were part of the program of events for the Bird Celebration held at the Virginia refuge. All of the events were held just outside or inside the Bateman Educational Center where visitors can buy gifts and find out what they can see on the Eastern Shore refuge which runs all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.

So on May 11, people crowded inside checking out the different exhibits. (See separate story on the exhibits and artists.)

 In the afternoon, people began carrying cages in one by one. Guests were very curious as to what they were soon going to be doing. As more tourists and familiar faces arrived, a sign pointed everyone to a showing that was to be held in the auditorium called “Raptors,” featuring animals of prey and reptiles from the wild.

The host, Ms. Mcgrath, first presented a small box turtle. She said the cold-blooded reptile was run over by accident and was left on the side of the road. She told how these animals, do not sweat. Just like a dog, they have their mouths open breathing heavily to regain normal temperature and feel a lot cooler. The shell of a box turtle and any other turtle , is a form of camouflage. This coloring is called scoot. The color from a bird’s eye view makes it look like leaves on the ground floor. After years though, the coloring begins to chip off. It is also a part of the body that grows from the time it was born. The shell is attached to their body and cannot be taken off. To a turtle, the shell also works as a human ribcage.  

To tell whether it’s a girl or a boy, the trick is to look at the eyes. Boy’s have the dark red eyes but very rarely girls do get them and that could make everything confusing. So the most accurate way is to examine the belly of it and notice the lower bottom part. If the imprint looks like a thumb was there and pressed hard, that’s a sign the turtle’s male. For girls, the shell is more straightened and not as caved in.

At the end of the turtle section, a child asked the name of it. But it turns out that animals in the Sales and Tales program aren’t named because they feel it shows respect that they are from the wild.

When Erica pulled an Eastern King Snake from the bag, most of the girls pushed back in their seats. The children down front were only a few feet away. The way to tell it’s a King Snake, is by the marks of white trailing from start of neck to the end.  Most of the time, these snakes live up to 20 years total in captivity which is much more than in the wild, seven years. In the wild, they eat almost anything their jaws can fit around. Rats, snakes, and other reptiles are the main sources of this snake’s diet. To find food, their forked tongue goes in and out and takes samples of smells that determine heat.

The way it traps its prey is by constricting it slowly tightening the grip every time the trapped animal breathes out which is basically suffocating it. The King Snake is also immune to other snake’s venom unless it goes directly into their bloodstream. The stomach is so airtight that if they were to swallow venom it wouldn’t touch anything else and would be completely harmless to their body.

Next, a small brown owl with a bit of dark brown and specks of white was shown. The Screech Owl is the second smallest owl. On average, the weight is about 7.3 oz. Humans have seven vertebras in their neck. Owls however, have 14. That means their necks can turn a lot more than ours ever would. But it’s not true they can turn it 360 degrees. The most an owl’s head may turn is 270 degrees which gives the illusion its head can spin all the way back. Something pointed out to us was that on any owl their ears are not even. This deals with hearing different levels of the forest. the lower one can hear what’s happening below or farther down as the upper ear hole hears noises that come from high above them.

Also, the tuffs on their head that are commonly mistaken for ears are actually the owl’s eyebrows. They change the expression based on mood just as we do. When they are up, the owl is definitely alert and on guard. When they push down and droop, it’s possible they are either angry or sad. An apple core was thrown out the window of a passing vehicle and a wild animal, specifically a mouse, began to eat it. When the owl saw it, it swooped down and was hit by a wind gust estimated around 55 mph. It was unable to fly correctly afterwards and the wing still hasn’t healed.

The broad winged hawk they showed us was hit by a car with such impact, that the hawk’s jaw dislocated, ruined the eyesight and damaged the car’s siding. The eyesight is very important for a hawk especially because they have what’s called “binocular vision.” It involves depth perception which includes how far things are and how wide. With one eye it makes everything a bit more challenging when that’s needed to survive.

To catch an animal, they use speed rather than stealth as an owl does. The pressure they use with their clawed talons is more than 100 pounds. Human fingers only need to be attacked by seven pounds to break. A hawk’s beak keeps growing. In the wild, that can mean they have to stop eating because the top part grows so hooked the bottom cannot open. In captivity they fix this to make sure such a problem is not possible.

The last animal that was shown to us was a huge, white owl with black eyes. The barred owl is one of two owl species that have full black eyes. The other being the barn owl. Just as turtles and dogs, they have no sweat glands so breathing heavily with their mouth open helps cool them off easily.

A barred owl’s diet ranges from snakes and chipmunks to raccoons, mice and even smaller owls. Their wings unlike a hawk’s, are meant to be stealthy and as quiet as possible. Wings of an owl have serrated edges to stay quiet and talons that have 250 pounds of pressure with feathering on their legs as well. One wing on this owl was actually amputated because of damage to a wing. Wildlife officials believe it was an accident involving a car hitting it.

Scales and Tales is part of the environmental education program of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Presentations can be seen at the Pocomoke River State Park. You can call 410-632-2566 for more information or email the park at jbitzel@dnr.state.md.us.

By Misty Thornton

Co-Editor, Wild Pony Tales

On an hot early morning on Assateague Island, VA, bird-lovers, park rangers and visitors gathered to enjoy a day full of family learning as well as some games and entertaining exhibits.

As we crossed the Assateague Channel Bridge to the beautiful island of Assateague, the air was moist and the sun was hot, but nothing was going to stop the excitement that was fluttering in the hearts of children and their parents. At the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge parking lots were filling up fast as people from all around came to enjoy themselves at the International Migratory Bird Day Festival.

Tee shirts and carving lessons were available just ouside the refuge information center, along with hotdogs and bottles of water.

Walking through the first set of doors to the information center four exhibits lined the lobby’s walls. Carver Bill Cowen had on display about 20 of his best power carved birds of all shapes and sizes from an arrangement of owls to a bright red cardinal.

Mr. Cowen said one of his birds made second best in the world at a competition.  As a carving teacher of about 30 years he said, “I love carving. It’s just something you can sit back, relax, and not even think about it. It’s like everything around you disappears and only you and your carvings are left.”  Mr. Cowen has a place on the island but mainly lives in New Jersey with his family and his business.

Then, there was an assortment of birds, ducks, and fish carvings on the next table done by Ed Kuhn of Onancock, VA., and there was also an exhibit that had photographs of birds, sunsets and wildlife taken by Robert Wilson.

The next exhibit was by Donnie Thornton. His had bird feathers with hand painted fine art on the front. He’s lived on the island all his life and painting feathers is just what comes natural. He’s been painting island houses, ponies, birds and plants on feathers for 17 years now. “When I’m not painting, I’m playing with my horse, Nugget,” said Mr. Thornton.

Inside the information center there was plenty more for visitors to experience. The conference room was the place for children. There was face painting, woodcarving for kids, experts to talk about birds and fuzzy, live birds that would later get center stage in the Scales and Tales program in the auditorium.

Coming out of the conference room and back into the main center, were two main exhibits. Residents Wayne and JeanBonde had on exhibit a large variety of duck stamps representing each year since 1934.

“The migratory bird stamps have been around since the first one in 1934. We decided to collect them which meant we had to go back and get all the other stamps in the series that we didn’t have from 1934 until 1977, ” said Ms. Bonde. “We went to stamp shows trying to find as inexpensive  used ones as we could fine. It took us a while, maybe about 20 years.”

In the meantime, in 1977, they started buying a migratory bird stamp each year which keeps them up to date. The older used stamps, 1934 up to 1977, are all signed by the hunters using them.  “It is a requirement,” explained Mr. Bonde, “if you are going to hunt waterfowl, that you have one of the migratory bird stamps signed by you in your possession for that year. From 1977 on, all the migratory bird stamps I have are unsigned.

Right now a migratory bird stamp costs $15. “They can also be used to gain entrances onto refuges and state parks,” said Mr. Bonde.

Further along in the information center was an artist, Jenny Somers, who had hand painted over 50 pictures. She lives on Chincoteague. “Every moment of free time I have I’m usually painting the scenery and the world around me. What a better place to do that then right outside of my home.”

There were exhibits of photographs and more paintings. One thing that attracted the most attention wasn’t an exhibit at all. It was the live eagle cam which brings the eagles and on that day just-born eaglets right onto a TV screen in the information center. The actual nest is high in the pines just off the Wildlife Loop. With visitors and Wild Pony Tales cameras looking on the first of two eggs hatched right before our eyes. Visitors were overjoyed to see the mother caring for her baby. The two eggs were special to the refuge staff because the first three eggs had been destroyed in a wind storm.  (See separate story on the site.)

When the excitement died down it was time for the Scales and Tales presentation where Erica Mcgrath and Samantha Ford from the Conservation Corp. in Maryland gave detailed information on their animals they brought with them from Pocomoke River State Park. Their animals all have been wounded at some point in their life and have been taken under the park’s wing. The animals included from owls, turtles, falcons and even an Eastern King Snake. (See a separate story.)

The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the National Park Service both hold events and programs for families and children throughout the summer.

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By Kate White and Robert Boswell

By now one of the three eaglets in the nest atop the tall loblolly pines on the Wildlife Loop would have used its egg tooth to break through the outer shell, taking a first breath, and soon opening eyes to see the real world it had just entered.

But instead, the eggs, three of them, are somewhere at the bottom of the trees, victims of the 71 mph winds that blew across the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on February 25, knocking part of the nest down and disappointing visitors who had been coming to the refuge visitor center to see nature in real time on the live cam, eagle parents sitting on three eggs, waiting for new life.

The parent eagles, like in years past, had returned to their nest in January, bringing up sticks and branches to make repairs and then, right on schedule lay three eggs. Three eggs that were never to hatch.

The disappointment of the fallen nest hit park ranger Sally Bowden like a brick when she opened the visitor center Saturday morning, February 26. On her way to work, she had gotten a cell phone call from Robert Meehan, a maintenance employee, who comes in early to power up the exhibits including the popular eagle camera where so many visitors had watched the eagles rebuilding, sitting on their eggs and getting ready for parenthood.

“I came into the visitor center around 8:45 Saturday. I walked back here (to the live cam) and about died,” said Ms. Bowden. “When I saw the nest and no eggs, I knew right away what had happened.”

Ms. Bowden said she wrote it the log book, a journal kept by the refuge on a table below the camera where visitors had been recording their comments since the nest rebuilding had begun.  “When I opened the visitor center at 9 a.m. we had 180 folks that Saturday and they were very disappointed, almost in tears. We were handing out Kleenexes.”

Some of the visitors came every weekend and almost every day to check on the progress of the eggs, Ms. Bowden said. “The first one was due to hatch this weekend, March 4-7.

So will the eagles lay more eggs? “The eagles have been observed mating and rebuilding the nest,” said the park ranger, “but it is up to nature whether or not they will lay eggs again. At this point, all we can do is keep our fingers crossed.”

In fact, the eagles came back to the nest Saturday morning, after the Friday wind, and brought along a duck to eat, perhaps to have something aboard when the little ones were ready. No one knows, of course, what they felt when they discovered their eggs and part of the nest missing. But the eagles were seen sitting on the nest and rearranging as if the eggs were still there.

It was not the first time nature had dealt a heavy hand to young wildlife on Assateague Island. On July 3, 2008 a biologist discovered a full nest of loggerhead turtle eggs in the sand of Toms Cove Hook. Excitement spread among the refuge staff , only to turn to sadness when a September nor’easter sent waves crashing ashore, saturating the egg chamber and drowning all 166 hatchlings.

The eagle cam has become a very popular attraction in the Bateman Center, the place where many of the 1.4 million visitors to the refuge begin their trip.

When there are eagle babies in the nest visitors can see parents taking turns on the nest and feeding. But the menu will not be like anything a newborn human might eat at home. The eaglets grow strong on a diet of regurgitated fish, rabbit, snake, duck, turtle and perhaps a piece of squirrel.

Questions about the eagles can be directed to the visitor center through email at FW5RW_CNWR@fws.gov and by phone 757-336-6122. Other developments can be found on http://www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/ Those who want more eagle details can go to www.nationaleaglecenters.org.

The habitat of the wildlife refuge is a wonderful area to have these birds because it has mostly what the eagle considers as food, said Ossana Wolff, another park ranger.  Ms. Wolff  said the waiting time for hatchlings could take 35 days. “Often one or more of the eaglets don’t make it.” The newborn has a furry body with grayish-white skin and a smoky beak. “At this time their only protection is their parents,” said Ms. Wolff. “The offspring that lives are taught how to fly when they are two or three months old.

The journal by now has many messages left by visitors. One child left a drawing of both parent eagles. Another wrote, “Eagles both still building like they have a deadline to meet.” Yet another, “Both eagles are on the nesting spot. The male seems to be calling the shots,” and another wrote, “Both eagles are on the nest. They seem to be having a disagreement about a stick.”

Kate White, a 9^th grader at Arcadia High School,  is co-editor and Mr. Boswell is publisher of www.wildponytales.info, a web magazine that covers Chincoteague and Assateague Islands in Virginia.

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By Kate White

Right on schedule, to the pure delight of visitors who find their way to the live cam at the back of the exhibit area at the information center on Assateague Island, the eagles have returned to their nest, made repairs and are now sitting on two eggs.

People can stay as long as they want and many leave entries in the Eagle Eye, a journal where visitors can record a message, or like one child did, a drawing

The Eagle Cam has become a very popular attraction in the Bateman Center on Assateague, the place where many of the 1.4 million visitors to the refuge begin their trip.

Questions about the eagles can be directed to the visitor center through email at FW5RW_CNWR@fws.gov and by phone 757-336-6122. Other developments can be found on at http://www.fws.gov/northeast/chinco/

When the young eagles arrive in about five weeks visitors can see the parents taking turns on the nest and feeding their babies. But the menu will not be like anything a newborn might eat at home. For the eaglets it will be  fish, rabbits, snakes, duck, turtles and perhaps a piece of squirrel.

The habitat of the wildlife refuge is a wonderful area to have these birds because it has mostly what the eagle considers as food, said Ossana Wolff, a park ranger.  “Every once and a while we’ll see one of them bring up a whole fish to feed on, but most times they just cut it apart. They are very opportunistic.”

 The eagles spend most of their time in high places scoping out food from up in some of the tall loblolly pine trees that are found throughout the island.

Ms. Wolff is one of the newest park rangers. She originally came from the Washington D.C. area.  She attended Virginia Tech, and received a degree in Natural Resources Conservation. She helps out in camps held at the refuge throughout the summer.

The cam attracts regulars from the island of Chincoteague, Ms. Wolff said,  and also people who come in frequently time to time just to see the camera and check on the eagles. The storm a few months back brought this all to a halt and put the camera out of order. Recently, it has been fixed and the camera’s fans are coming back fast.

During the late days of January and the first days of February, the eagles lay their eggs, usually two or three. The waiting time for the hatchlings could take 35 days. Not all the eaglets live. The newborn has furry body with grayish-white skin and a smokey beak. At this time, their only protections are their parents. The offspring that lives are taught how to fly when they are two or three months old.

The comments left in the journal by guests go from the present to the first day the camera was turned on.

 Their nest looks to be about ½ an eagle body long and 3 eagle bodies wide, larger than It was a week ago, one visitor wrote. Here are some other comments.

1/11/11

Eagles both still building like they have a deadline to meet.

Eagles Cam Fan

1/10/11

Both eagles are on the nesting spot. The male seems to be calling the shots.

Eagle Cam Fan

1/3/11

Both Eagles are on the nest. They seem to be having a disagreement about a stick.

Eagles Cam Fan

Right now, the eagles are rebuilding the nest from recent destruction by the wind of the storm which was around 25 to 26 mph. They have recovered most of their nest recently in only a few weeks time, but it’s still not finished. “They bring back more bits and pieces of foliage of leaves and twigs when they return to their home, and it’s visible to see what they added that day that wasn’t there before”, said Ms. Wolff. “It is built higher than 55 feet.” What they usually do at the tree is keep watch over it and mess around with the nest packing it together, so it’s secure.