A is for Assateague

Tim Iverson
Naturalist

(7/2020) Assateague Island National Seashore is a barrier island along the coastal border of Maryland and Virginia. Perhaps best known for their wild free roaming horses, the island is constantly being reshaped by wind and waves. Powerful natural forces have created a fascinating and complex environment with harsh demanding conditions for both plant and animal life.

Waves lap against the shore where powerful tides and storms fold the island over itself. The island is in constant motion moving slowly west towards the main land. Water washes over the east side of the island, sending the beach sand back towards the bay on the west side. This dynamic landscape is in constant flux at the capricious whims of wind and water.

Slight differences in elevation and water composition create distinctly different plant communities. During rainy spring months, freshwater pools form in depressions on the land. Larger pools provide freshwater to wildlife through the drier summer months. The sandy beaches extend the entire length of the oceanside of the island. These beaches give way to dunes protecting inland habitats of shrubs and pine groves. The western bay side consists of diverse saltwater marshes teeming with life. Blue crabs, oysters, endangered migratory and wading birds, river otters, and more depend on the oasis provided here. Of course, what visitors most want to experience are the horses.

Bands of wild horses roam freely throughout the island. These wild horses are descendants of domesticated horses. Folklore tells that these horses survived a shipwreck off the coast of Virginia and swam onto shore. This heroic story has become popular belief, but their origin is likely much more humble. During the 17th century, farmers on the mainland were required by law to fence or corral, and pay taxes of their livestock herds. In order to avoid these burdens they brought their horses to the island, which at the time was unregulated. The island provided natural barriers to prevent escape and they could roam and graze freely.

Even without the dramatic beginning, the wild horses of Assateague are still heroic. They have met and adapted to the adversity of the merciless mosquitoes and biting flies, scorching heat, lack of fresh water and poor food quality with stoic perseverance. Their descendants have formed themselves into a horse society comprised of two main herds, one in Maryland and the other in Virginia. Each herd has subsections, or bands, between two to twelve horses each, that occupy a home range and territory. Today there are approximately 300 horses in total on the island, with roughly half split between the Maryland and Virginia herds.

In order to keep the wild population healthy, avoid starvation, and to protect the environment from overgrazing the National Park Service manages the Maryland herd through periodic sterilization. Biologists regularly study the herds and select females that have already successfully bred and inoculate them with a non-invasive non-hormonal vaccine fired from a dart at a safe distance. In Virginia, which is outside of the national park, the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company owns and manages the Virginia herd, which is allowed to graze on Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, through a special use permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The permit restricts the size of the herd to approximately 150 adult animals in order to protect the other natural resources of the wildlife refuge. It is the Virginia herd which is often referred to as the "Chincoteague" ponies. Every July select ponies are rounded up, swum across the bay, and sold at auction. This annual activity raises money for the local community and keeps the population within a sustainable threshold.

Assateague Island National Seashore is also a bird sanctuary located along the Atlantic flyway migratory route. Because of the variety of habitats and mid-latitude location the island provides a unique opportunity to see a mingling of many different species of birds. Over 300 species find habitats among the diverse ecosystem of bays, salt marshes, beaches, dunes, and pine forests.

In early spring, Piping Plovers arrive at Assateague Island. It’s here among the sandy beaches and windswept dunes that these threatened birds nest and feed. These small stocky light-grayish brown birds are often found running in short bursts along the shore. As they sprint short distances they abruptly stop with a quick dip forward to pull insects from the sand. In late summer, after the hatchlings have fledged and learned to fly they make their way towards their wintering grounds in the southeastern coastal states and the Bahamas.

The salt marshes play hunting ground as wading birds like Great Egrets, with their towering white statuesque figures, and Great Blue Herons cautiously stalk prey in the shallow waters. Red-Winged Black birds can be heard ceaselessly calling back and forth through the tall reeds and grasses as they patrol their territories. Perched among the pine forests the diminutive Downy Woodpecker, White-Eyed Vireo, and Ruby-Crowned Kinglet are found feasting on insects throughout the canopy and branches. At night our largest owl in the area, the Great Horned Owl, and our smallest owl, the Saw-whet Owl, stalk the night. Assateague Island National Seashore serves as a laboratory for researchers to study this small reclusive owl.

The pandemic has scraped plans across the board and many are feeling the isolation bear down as summer seemingly evaporated before it began. However, one glimmer of sunshine appears that outdoor recreation (when coupled with appropriate hygiene, mask wearing and distancing measures) is demonstrably safe. Public health officials rank camping, which is available at both Assateague Island National Seashore and neighboring Assateague State Park, as one of the least risky activities that may still be safely enjoyed. With 18,000 acres, most of which is undeveloped wilderness, distance is easily achievable at Assateague Island National Seashore.

John Muir once said, "Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul." As we reckon with our pandemic protocols we can still seek low-risk opportunities to connect with public lands as an avenue to fortify our spirit and to create memories.