Fran and I drove down the OSV Zone on Assateague Island this morning.
It was a gorgeous day and we entered the OSV area just abut half an
hour after high tide, so we were able to easily drive all the way to
the Virginia State Line and back (about a 25-mile round trip) without
problems with beach flooding.  The Park Service has put up signs
warning that parts of the beach are now impassible at certain high
tides and from the look of the high tide mark along the more southerly
portions of the drive, I would agree-it is well past the dune border
markers for a good part of the last 5-6 miles of the drive and you
could get caught down on the southern end if you don't time your ride
correctly.

There weren't too many birds on the drive down (see below) except for
the usual gulls, large numbers of Common Loons in the surf zone,
relatively moderate numbers of Sanderlings, and three Horned Larks
foraging amidst the tire tracks on the beach.

The Fox Hill Levels tidal flats held a large flock of Dunlin, but only
one Black-bellied Plover.  Fox Hill Levels is the third marked dune
crossing south of the northern-most entrance to the Bullpen (an
overnight campsite for dune fishing vehicles).  

If you have a 4WD vehicle and the opportunity to get to Assateague
several times through the year, the OSV Pass ($70 annually) and the
Annual Pass to the National Seashore ($20 annually) are great
bargains.  The potential for exploring on foot behind the dunes is
incredible and, like today, you often have the beach to yourself.  We
saw only one surf fisherman this morning about 5 miles from the OSV
entrance.  The rest of the drive was just us and the beach and the
ocean and the birds.

Best,
Norm & Fran

==========================
Norm Saunders
Cambridge & West Ocean City, MD




3-Feb-07

Assateague Island
Brant, 150
American Black Duck, 9
Mallard, 3
Bufflehead, 25
Red-throated Loon, 1
Common Loon, 32
Northern Gannet, 10
Double-crested Cormorant, 3
Great Blue Heron, 1
Black Vulture, 3
Turkey Vulture, 8
Bald Eagle, 3, all sub-adult
Black-bellied Plover, 1
Sanderling, 113
Dunlin, 150
Ring-billed Gull, 57
Herring Gull, 103
Great Black-backed Gull, 24
Horned Lark, 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler, 200 (or 2000, pick the number you like best)
Common Yellowthroat, 1
Savannah Sparrow, 2