Participants in this year’s 13 Birdathon teams, 10 Celebrate Birds walks, and the Big Sit combined their efforts to find 157 species of birds, the same number as last year.

And as of mid-June, the Birdathon had raised a record $22,836 for Loudoun Wildlife!

More than 50 people, adults and children, participated in the Birdathon or led walks for this year’s Celebrate Birds series. Not only did they raise an incredible amount of money, they gave us a great snapshot of bird migration in Loudoun County in spring 2023, which can be compared to previous and future years. Without their observations and everything these volunteers did, this event would not have been possible or nearly as successful.

A chatty Yellow-Breasted Chat greets birders near the parking lot at Sweet Run State Park. Photo by Eric Anderson.

While the team competition in the Birdathon is fun and honor-system based, it’s still serious. The Fully-palmated Birders (Michael Sciortino, Michael Myers, Mike Scott, and John Denice) barely inched out Gone Pishing  (Bryan Henson, Allison Gallo, and Jane Yocom) for the “Most Species Award” by finding 126 species, compared to the latter’s 125. And even harder to believe, without the Birdathon rule that every species must be observed by at least two team members, the two teams would have tied at 127 species.

The Fully-palmated Birders hiked more than 17 miles searching for birds over their two-day observation period. While last year’s effort was defined by the number of waterfowl they recorded, this year was defined by the greater number of warblers, proving that waiting a couple of weeks into migration season can make a big difference.

Although Gone Pishing was inched out of the “Most Species Award,” they did win the “Most Money Raised Award” by bringing in $5,184 for the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. Their highlights included dynamite views of a Kentucky Warbler, a bird that is usually heard but not seen. They were also thrilled to find a female Common Merganser with at least a dozen ducklings.

The Flying Kites (the Anderson family) won the “Most Species Found by a Family” award. Over two days of birding, they observed 97 species throughout the county, and ended their Birdathon with incredible views of a pair of Mississippi Kites, their  team’s namesake.

A Pileated Woodpecker takes flight. Photo by Karenna Awtry.

I Believe in a Thing Called Dove, also known as married couple Eric Auld and Stasia Kemp, participated in their first Birdathon and won the award for “Most Species Found by First Timers” with 56 species.

The “Most Species Observed by Fledgling Birders” award went to the Fearsome Fledglings, who not only found 46 species but took the time to draw some of them. The team is a group of friends and siblings ages six to 10 (Charlie and Henry Kabealo, Elle Koh, Aiden Fletcher, and Griffin Yealdhall), and Sarah Kabealo, the only adult member, who provides advice, binoculars, bird guides, and occasionally snacks.

While it’s always great to find out how successful the most experienced birders were, the Birdathon reports from the families, the fledglings, and the beginners are the most fun to read. If you haven’t already done so, take a few minutes and read all the reports.

Every year I’m struck by how all the teams share their wonder and awe of the natural world, and how precious Loudoun County’s wildlife and natural areas are — thank you!

A family of Common Mergansers swim together on the Potomac along the Berlin Turnpike. Photo by Bryan Henson