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Snow Geese at Assateague Island MD
Assateaque Island located in both Maryland and Virginia with a fence separating the two state sections. Assateaque Island is a barrier Island bordering the Atlantic Ocean and he only oceanfront park in consisting of 540 acres managed by the Maryland park service. The park was created in 1956 and home to deer, waterfowl and feral horses. The wild (Chincoteaque) ponies are claimed in legend to be survivors of a shipwrecked Spanish galleon and a popular tourist attraction.
The Chincoteaque pony population is managed by the by the Chincoteaque volunteer Fire Company, the “salt water coyboys” drive a number of the ponies to the town of Chincoteaque to be auctioned. The auction takes place on Pony Penning Day. The event helps maintaining the pony population at a level as required by an agreement with the The Chincoteaque National Refuge.
The island is also a refuge with a large population of birds to include the American oystercatcher, great blue heron and snow egret. There are over 320 species of birds that are known to inhabit the island to include gulls, terns, shorebirds, raptors, waterbirds and waterfowl. Piping plover, a threated specie nests on Assateque island. During the winter season large numbers of snow geese make their winter home on the island.
Snow Geese at Assateague Island MD
Assateaque Island located in both Maryland and Virginia with a fence separating the two state sections. Assateaque Island is a barrier Island bordering the Atlantic Ocean and he only oceanfront park in consisting of 540 acres managed by the Maryland park service. The park was created in 1956 and home to deer, waterfowl and feral horses. The wild (Chincoteaque) ponies are claimed in legend to be survivors of a shipwrecked Spanish galleon and a popular tourist attraction.
The Chincoteaque pony population is managed by the by the Chincoteaque volunteer Fire Company, the “salt water coyboys” drive a number of the ponies to the town of Chincoteaque to be auctioned. The auction takes place on Pony Penning Day. The event helps maintaining the pony population at a level as required by an agreement with the The Chincoteaque National Refuge.
The island is also a refuge with a large population of birds to include the American oystercatcher, great blue heron and snow egret. There are over 320 species of birds that are known to inhabit the island to include gulls, terns, shorebirds, raptors, waterbirds and waterfowl. Piping plover, a threated specie nests on Assateque island. During the winter season large numbers of snow geese make their winter home on the island.