Ligi Nestlings team.
Photo by McKenzie Ligi
The Ligi Nestlings (Steven, Spring, McKenzie, Addison and Catherine Ligi) found 55 species for our 16th annual Birdathon. We started our adventure on May 11 dodging rain drops at Sweet Run State Park. Our dedication paid off when we spotted a male American Redstart singing high in the treetops, which was a life bird for everyone. Just moments later Steve spotted a pair of Blue Grosbeaks, another life bird for most of the team. We were off to a soggy, but great start.
We waited for another break in the rain then headed toward eastern Loudoun, stopping at Olde Izaak Walton Pond where we were greeted by an adorable baby fox. Other highlights include an Osprey perched on a dead snag, an energetic Baltimore Oriole that refused to stand still, and a rousing game of fetch with a good-natured pup at the dog park.
We popped over to Meadowbrook Farms Pond where Addison and Spring tore through their field guides trying to identify an all-brown diving duck. We tried to make her into all kinds of different species, but ultimately decided she would remain a mystery and simply admired her diving abilities. We were able to tick off nine more species for our list, including Double-crested Cormorant, Solitary Sandpiper and three types of swallows.
Next up was the Broadlands Wetlands Nature Preserve where mama Mallard and her seven sleepy ducklings stole the show. We also enjoyed great views of a Green Heron, Eastern Phoebe and snapping turtle. Thankfully the snapper was on the far side of the wetlands, away from the tasty family of ducks.
Barred Owl.
Photo by Addison Ligi
We take our Birdathons very seriously and felt obligated to add an urban species to our list, so we made the supreme sacrifice of stopping for ice cream at Sweet Frog. As if on cue, a House Sparrow with nesting material flew over our heads and into the “o” of the sign. One sweet treat led to another – as we were driving to our next destination, we stopped to admire more foxes. This time we saw a mother and her two kits playing in a field.
We saved our favorite stop for last: Piscataway Crossing Regional Park. Catherine and McKenzie had a field day playing in the mud (a silver lining to all of the rain), pausing only when we pointed out a pair of Bald Eagles flying downstream. One of the eagles swooped down to the shoreline for a drink from the river. Our final species for the day was one of our best, a very cooperative Barred Owl. During last year’s Birdathon, we found a Barred Owl roosting in the same tree. (We remember the exact tree because it took us a good 30 minutes of staring at it to show the girls where to point their binoculars.) Perhaps this year’s owl is the same one as last year. We watched him in awe for about 15 minutes before closing out another bird-brained adventure.
A big thanks goes to our sponsors for their generous support and encouragement. So far, our team has raised over $900 for Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy.
Read about the adventures of the other teams on the 2024 Birdathon Team Summaries page.
Photo by Spring Ligi.
Species List:
American Crow 5
American Goldfinch 8
American Redstart 1
American Robin 12
Bald Eagle 2
Baltimore Oriole 2
Barn Swallow 6
Barred Owl 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Black Vulture 3
Blue Grosbeak 2
Blue Jay 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1
Brown Thrasher 1
Canada Goose 20
Carolina Chickadee 3
Carolina Wren 3
Chimney Swift 11
Chipping Sparrow 4
Common Grackle 6
Common Yellowthroat 1
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Downy Woodpecker 1
Eastern Bluebird 9
Eastern Phoebe 4
Eastern Towhee 2
European Starling 20
Field Sparrow 3
Gray Catbird 4
Great Blue Heron 1
Green Heron 3
House Finch 8
House Sparrow 2
House Wren 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Mallard 12
Mourning Dove 18
Northern Cardinal 14
Northern Mockingbird 6
Osprey 1
Purple Martin 5
Red-bellied Woodpecker 3
Red-eyed Vireo 2
Red-shoulder Hawk 1
Red-winged Blackbird 17
Rock Pigeon 2
Solitary Sandpiper 3
Song Sparrow 4
Tree Swallow 3
Tree Swallow 7
Tufted Titmouse 1
Turkey Vulture 7
White-throated Sparrow 6
Wood Thrush 1
Yellow-rumpled Warbler 2