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2015 Delmarva Nature & Wildlife Photography Summit

11/24/2015

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The Eastern Shore is highly regarded as one of the world's hot-spots for birding, as it's a prime stopover point for migratory wildfowl and songbirds. The Delmarva peninsula is truly a nature photographers paradise and is the reason why Chincoteague Bay Field Station hosts the Delmarva Nature & Wildlife Photography Summit each year.

The summit is ideal for photographers who are looking to take their work to the next level, especially those who aspire to create imagery with particular consideration for conservation and the environment. With esteemed and seasoned professional photographers like Jim Clark, Nikhil Bahl, Bill & Linda Lane, and Brian Zwit, participants are guaranteed to be inspired by not only the luscious landscapes but also by the fantastic set of faculty.

This year we had nearly 50 participants join us from the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond - from Texas and Florida to Ohio, Illinois, and Maine. During the summit, participants choose from a variety of workshops and field sessions that are taught by each of the summit instructors.  Examples of this years sessions included "The Essentials of Bird Photography," "Capturing a Sense of Place," and "Using the Other Half of the Day: Nighttime Photography."  The passion of the group transformed campus into a true photographers haven, where networking and gadget-talk permeated meals and downtime.

CBFS hosts a variety of photography programs throughout the year through Road Scholar that are taught by Jim Clark and Nikhil Bahl. Be sure to check these programs out and save the date for next year's Summit on November 17-20, 2015.
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Grandparents & Grandchildren Explore Wallops Island Dunes

6/29/2015

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CBFS staff hosts groups young and old alike to the Field Station to participate in our camps and day trips. Last week, we welcomed a group of grandparents and grandchildren for our first Road Scholar Intergenerational Camp of the summer! These camps offer a hands-on learning experience for children and their grandparents, a great way to promote learning science and a fun bonding adventure with family.

On Thursday, our campers went to Wallops Island to learn more about dune ecology. As a barrier island, Wallops acts as a border between the mainland and the ocean, catching marine life and ocean materials from the deep sea. Assateague and Chincoteague are also barrier islands. Educator Maria taught the campers that dunes are important because, like the islands, dunes are barrier systems.

After boarding the bus, Chaz talked about the different aspects of Wallops that we would soon see on the beach. CBFS has access to the side of Wallops Island owned by the Navy/NASA, and is able to take participants on site to see a relatively pristine coastal ecosystem. Typically, Wallops Island is open only to government employees.
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Educator Chaz looks at shells with a camper on Wallops Island beach.
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A family of participants studies an organism, attempting to identify it with the help of Sea S.T.A.R. Intern Virginia.
At the beach, campers collected shells and identified examples of dune succession, including parts like embryo dunes, accumulating dunes, and mature dunes. Children made observations about shells and organisms that washed up on the beach while their grandparents collected shells as a memento of this experience. After everyone had enough time to enjoy the beach and observe the environment, Maria and Chaz answered questions about the shells the campers found and talked more about the dunes and the organisms found on the beach, including a ghost crab that happened to scuttle out in the day time.

Back at the lab, the campers identified different micro and macro organisms and learned more about what they saw today. They rotated through different stations and used field guides to confirm the names of a variety of plants and animals, learning fun facts along the way.

Wallops Island is just one trip on a six day adventure. The campers take a trip each day to explore barrier islands on Virginia's Eastern Shore, learning about the islands’ history and coastal ecology.

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Campers look for shells and organisms on the beach and Field Station Educators talk about the natural history and ecological importance of the area.
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Campers often times take home shells as a a reminder of their experience exploring the Eastern Shore.
Spencer and his grandfather loved walking around the island and seeing the dunes. “Science is fun, I liked collecting all the shells. I like being here without my brothers and sisters so I can spend some time with just my grandpa," Spencer said.
Some participants were returning to the Field Station for a second or third time, bringing different grandchildren to share this special bonding experience. Chincoteague Island always has something new and exciting to offer, whether it’s you first time here or your fifth!

You can read more about our grandparent/grandchild trips here, and more about our other family programs here!

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A trip to the beach to study coastal ecology is an ideal way to bond with your family!
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Every Day is a New Adventure

5/22/2015

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Some people get up in the morning and go through the same routine day in and day out. They drive to a job where they only see a computer screen and an office all day. But at the Field Station a “day at the office” could mean several different things. It could include catching up on indoor office duties or it could be seeing the sunrise, biking down a scenic back road, or paddling through a winding creek. 

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Road Scholars kayaking on the Pocomoke River
I have worked at the Field Station for two and a half years and I still find excitement and wonder in each new day.  I am the Adult and Family Education Assistant Coordinator and I work with all kinds of groups and ages ranging from 5-year-olds up to adults.  I have led bicycling and kayaking excursions, family camps, grandparent and grandchild camps, and many more!  During each program I have the opportunity to meet wonderful people who are excited to be visiting the Field Station.  They are interested in specific activities and like to learn about the different areas around Chincoteague.

This past spring has been exciting and busy with programs!  Even though I have led some of these programs more than once and have visited the same areas multiple times I discover something new each time I step out my door.

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Chincoteague Bay Field Station's boat basin illuminated by striking natural light
While working I try to take some time to notice the area around me and find natural beauty everywhere.  It is so easy to get caught up in your job or your own life and not notice the little things around you but I am glad that working here has allowed me to marvel at my “office”.

During one of the Road Scholar Basketry programs this past February we went on the Wallops Island beach to collect shells.  This was the first time that I saw the beach covered in show and ice.  It was bizarre to look for shells with participants in the sand under a thin veil of snow.
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Shelling on Wallops Island in February
Another week I was on a Road Scholar Photography program where I was able to watch the sunrise and sunset of each day that week.  Some people think, “if you have seen one sunrise you have seen them all” but each one was different and showed off the landscape in different ways.

I can return to the same place every week and see something different.  I even have seen people return to our programs because they love this area of the Eastern Shore and can’t get enough.  This week I have been kayaking in the surrounding rivers and bays and some of my participants that are with me this week are returners.  They haven’t just been here once but at least 3 or more times.  These two ladies have been on the same kayaking program many times and say that each time they return the paddles are different.  The areas change seasonally and can look drastically different depending even on the tide and time of day.

Last week my adventure was Biking the Eastern Shore, this week is Kayaking. I can’t wait to see what new adventure is in store for me next!
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Two of our "seasoned" participants who attend both kayaking and biking programs every year with us

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alyssa Scott is the Adult & Family Education Assistant Coordinator at Chincoteague Bay Field Station. She's been on board here for more than two years and previously earned her Bachelor's in Marine Science at Coastal Carolina University with a minor in Environmental Science.  Alyssa is originally from Berlin, Maryland and has worked many seasons in environmental education and interpretation on Assateague Island National Seashore.
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Snow Day? No Way!

2/26/2015

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Homeschool student preparing snowballs
Homeschool families enjoying the snow after breakfast
Mother and Daughter learning together during Organism Lab
Homeschool students meeting new friends
Road Scholar participant hard at work
Example of a finished basket
A little music adds to the relaxing experience of basketry
Some of the completed baskets
Road Scholars learn about coastal ecology during this course too - check out this sea cucumber!
Group photo on the last day
Intricate basket design
Collecting supplies on Wallops Island
Road Scholars walking along snow-covered Wallops Island
Our Road Scholars braved the cold to gather materials to create a series of coiled baskets. They visited Wallops Island to collect cordgrass and oyster shells. Most of the time they were busy coiling in the warm Education Center! The technique used is similar to that used to construct pine needle baskets which is a Native American basketry form.
Yesterday CBFS staff woke up to nearly eight inches of fresh fallen snow on our campus. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Eastern Shore of Virginia, we should preface this with the fact that even an inch of snow here closes all schools, businesses, and prohibits travel on most roadways. The Shore essentially shuts down and an official snow day is called.

At CBFS, however, things don't stop for a little precipitation! By 7AM our Education Team (who live on site) could be found shoveling and salting the sidewalks, cooking up a delicious breakfast, and preparing for a full-day of programming! We had two fabulous groups in house this week - Road Scholar Coastal Basketry and the Winter Coastal Ecology Homeschool program. While schedules were slightly altered to ensure safety, we're pretty sure that both groups had an enjoyable time and learned a lot!


Homeschoolers got the full "winter" experience with all the snow during their Winter Coastal Ecology program.
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Nature Lovers Dinner & Trivia

2/15/2015

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CBFS held its third annual Nature Lovers Dinner & Trivia this Valentines Day. Sixteen couples participated in this friendly competition where they were quizzed on their knowledge of birds and the bees - sometimes quite literally! Congratulations to our trivia winners - Sarah & Mike Casseday.
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CHINCOTEAGUE BAY FIELD STATION  | 34001 Mill Dam Road  |  Wallops Island, VA 23337  |  (757) 824-5636  |  info@cbfieldstation.org
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