Big Sit at Algonkian Was Popular with Visitors and Kingbirds

Photo by Allison Gallo

Saturday, May 11 was a fabulous day for our Big Sit at Algonkian Park. We’d been keeping an eye on the weather all week because it looked like there was going to be a good chance for rain and wind. These are not ideal conditions to attract either birds or birders to the event. When we arrived at 5:30 am to set up, the skies were fairly clear and the winds were light. There was a red sunrise coming up over the Potomac and Barred Owl and Wild Turkey could be heard calling in the distance.

Throughout the day Celebrate Birds! was in full force at the park. We had approximately 150 visitors stop by to spend some time with us including three Birdathon teams (Flying Kites, The Fearsome Fledglings and The All Gull Band) who we were happy to help out and add some species to their lists. Other visitors included nonbirders, beginning birders, avid birders, bird photographers and people just interested in birds.

We gave tips on how to use binoculars more effectively, how to use the Merlin and eBird apps, answered questions about birds and great places to bird in the county, and even got some people a “life bird” (a bird they have never seen before), which is always very exciting. In the evening, Matt Felperin, the Nova Parks Roving Naturalist, stopped by with Smoke the Screech Owl and Squeaker the Red-Shouldered Hawk. As always they were a big hit.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo feeding mate.
Photo by Bryan Henson

We spotted a total of 69 species of birds during the event. Highlights included a male Yellow-billed Cuckoo feeding a female Yellow-billed Cuckoo an insect, numerous Baltimore Orioles, three Common Loons that hung out on the river most of the day, a Peregrine Falcon, a pair of very friendly Eastern Kingbirds and a lovely rainbow. The kingbirds seemed to want to join our count circle. They visited us frequently throughout the day and gave us good looks at very close range. Their presence was very helpful when we were teaching people how to use binoculars.

Not only did we have the Big Sit at Algonkian Park on Saturday, but there was also a bird walk that was co-sponsored by Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy and Virginia Society of Ornithology. Between the two events there was a total of 102 bird species counted. It was a great day for birding.

We are very grateful to our amazing volunteers who not only helped identify birds in the count circle, but also helped at Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s table sharing information about our programs and events, advocacy work, mission and vision of people and wildlife thriving together. This event would not have been a success without them.