Owls and ice cream at Sundaes in the Park

The Town of Ocean City hosts Sundaes in the Park almost every Sunday evening in the summer from 7 to 9 p.m. There's live music, ice cream sundaes (of course) and sometimes a few surprises, too. This past Sunday, July 16, not only did I watch the sunset over the Assawoman Bay with a sundae in hand, but I also met a few scaly and feathered Delmarva natives.

As soon as you get close to the park, you can hear the music playing. At the right time of day, the trees cast a beautiful reflection over the water. That's when you know you're in the right place.

As I soon found out, the Maryland Park Service from Assateague State Park had a tent near the stage on this particular Sunday, where they showcased a variety of animals that live near the Shore.

The owls, like this barn owl, were a hit among the crowd.

Two red-tailed hawks perched under the tent, eyeing their onlookers.

These two--tiny, wide-eyed screech owls were a fan favorite.

One curious kid got up close and personal with the Eastern box turtle. "What's his name?" he asked the ranger. She replied, "We don't give the animals names because they're wild."

Others preferred to watch from afar. A snake slithered around its cage, right next to some of the items for sale, like those big, scaly talon gloves.

Okay, that's all for the animals. Now back to the normal Sundaes in the Park stuff. The band playing this Sunday was Uprizing, an R&B/funk outfit from the Chesapeake Bay region.

Uprizing drew quite a crowd. Then again, weather-permitting, Sundaes always have a sizable turnout.

And then there's the ice cream, of course. Two tables with toppings like sprinkles, nuts and cherries.

One scoop is $3.25, two scoops for $4. Not a bad deal for ice cream, music and a beautiful evening.

There was also a sand art table, where you can create a cute memento by filling a clear bottle with any arrangement of colored sand.

All in all, not a bad afternoon. We seemed to have come on the right day--after all, what's better than ice cream, tiny animals and a summer sunset?