The third Birdathon for the Flying Kites (Eric, Kiersten, Abigail, Rua, Sadie and Henry Anderson) started off with a common hoot. Well, that is, four Common Nighthawks flying close over the Potomac and one screechy young Barred Owl trying its best to give a hoot. In a changeup, this year Eric and Kiersten left our own nestlings at home for a Friday night kickoff/date at Algonkian Regional Park. It was a nice way to start, and an even better excuse to make sure we ended early within our 48 hours on Mother’s Day.

The youngest Flying Kites.
Photo by Kiersten Anderson

Saturday morning, Eric and Rua (9) were back at it just as the sun was rising at Algonkian Sanctuary Trail. The birds were active, and it proved to be a great start to the day with 60 species seen or heard. On the trail, Rua became a fan of the Acadian Flycatcher’s abrupt “pizza” call, and multiple warblers – including a couple very active Hooded Warblers and a Tennessee Warbler – sang loudly in the canopy. On the river, a Common Merganser hen quickly shuffled six young ones away as we stepped out onto the bank. Just down river, dozens of Double-Crested Cormorants, Great Egrets and Great Blue Herons mingled together in a layer of light fog, a painting-worthy image.

After heading back to pick up the rest of the team, including Abigail (11), Sadie (7), and Henry (4), we headed back to Algonkian Regional Park, where we were kindly alerted to the presence of a Kentucky Warbler singing at the end of the cabins by some other birders. It turned out to be the first of many warblers found at the park, with Northern Parulas, American Redstarts, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, Tennessee Warblers, Chestnut-sided Warblers and an Ovenbird, Yellow Warbler, and even a Wilson’s Warbler all singing their spring songs. We made a stop by Loudoun Wildlife’s Big Sit where the group helped us add three not-so-common Common Loons and a pair of Forster’s Terns to our list. As we were watching these river birds, Rua’s keen eyes spotted a perched Yellow-billed Cuckoo just a few feet above the group, allowing for some of our best views we’ve had of this magnificent bird. We were surprised (and delighted) when another cuckoo flew in quickly for a rapid hand-off a meal to its mate – what a treat for us!

Bobolink at Thunder Road.
Photo by Eric Anderson

Our next stops were quicker.  At Thunder Road by the airport, we stopped to see what grasslands birds we could find and got our first views of Bobolinks. We had a flock of over 20 at fairly close range, with a few males even perched on the fences.  Then we went by a few ponds: one by the Brambleton West Clubhouse; one in Meadowbrook Farm (a loved spot because of the playground); and, the Broadlands Wetlands Nature Preserve (loved for the close views of snapping turtles as much as the birds).

On Sunday, we began with our traditional voyage to western Loudoun to try our luck at Sweet Run State Park. The weather was nice and cool, and we were able to add many new birds and many always-appreciated repeats (yes, please, we’d love more Wilson’s, Hooded and Kentucky Warblers). New birds included a singing Yellow-breasted Chat, a buzzy Black-throated Blue Warbler, a Louisiana Waterthrush, high-pitched Cedar Waxwings, White-eyed Vireos and two Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that would have been mistaken for bees if they hadn’t perched right in front of us. After a picnic lunch at Sweet Run, we wrapped up our Birdathon with a drive to see Trumpeter Swans along Piney Swamp Road and then a quick stop at Middlesex Drive Pond, where were picked up our last bird: a Bank Swallow zipping across the pond with Tree, Barn and Northern Rough-winged Swallows.

Prior to starting, our team (the little ones, believe it or not) set a goal to find 100 species – one more than the 99 we reached last year. To all of our surprise, we not only hit the goal, but passed it with 105 species! We missed our namesake Mississippi Kite this year (not for lack of trying), but all agreed it was another great adventure seeing so many beloved, diverse birds and exploring the rich habitats across Loudoun County.

This eBird trip report shows our complete list of birds: https://ebird.org/tripreport/235443.

Great Egrets and Double-crested Cormorants at Algonkian.
Photo by Eric Anderson

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