An Island Get-a-Way: Chincoteague Virginia

After a spring and summer with very little time to pursue my outdoor photography, my wife and I finally found time for a short vacation.   I had hopes of finding some interesting photo ops and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge did not disappoint.

 

While waiting for the sun to make its appearance a small sika stag crossed the shallow water of the wetlands.  The little deer didn't seem to bother the geese as it passed by.  This was my very first time photographing a sika deer.

 

A short time later a larger stag appeared in the wetlands opposite to where the first appeared.  This deer sported much larger antlers and a much larger body as well. 

 

 The stag paused a couple of times as it crossed the meadow.

 

I'm guessing that the sika rut is on as the stags seemed to be traveling with a purpose, much like rutting whitetail buck, a species which I am much more familiar with.

 

Sunrise over the Wetlands

And on the way out of the refuge another stag crossed the road and paused on the bike path.  While I had photographed the previous deer using the 600mm lens, this one I shot hand-held out of the car window using the Canon 100-400 lens.  After a number of trips to Assateague without so much as one photograph of a sika deer, to see four stags and photograph three, all in one morning made for a surprising outing!  

A few days staying on Chincoteague Island, photographing wildlife, and walking the Assateague beach were most relaxing.  I will be sharing more photos from this adventure in the coming days.