Volume 29 Issue 2, Spring 2024
by Kim Strader, Volunteer Coordinator
“Do what you love because that is what you will do well.” This quote, from American businesswoman Dylan Lauren, can be used to describe all our Loudoun Wildlife volunteers. Everyone’s love for what they do shines through in the work they do to help inspire, motivate, and engage others to protect, preserve, and restore wildlife habitat. Frank Gardner is just one of our many examples of someone who loves what they do and does it well.
Frank Gardner
Frank first came to our attention in February 2022, when he requested our assistance with incorporating 49 Eastern Bluebird nest boxes into our Bluebird Monitoring Program. Frank had recently returned to the United States after living in the United Kingdom for 25 years. He often walked in a neighboring HOA area where he found the 49 nest boxes spread out over a couple of miles of trails, roads, and wood edges.
Frank was instrumental in making connections with Peter Rose and others within the community, providing oversight and support to locate and map all the boxes. He and Peter determined the best way to break the boxes into four trails, numbered the boxes, and continued to assist by monitoring the nest boxes for the first month while helping to fill monitor positions from within the community. “We were so impressed with all the preparation and work he put into compiling the recommended trails and in cleaning up all the houses,” Bluebird Team Assistant Sarah Flanagan said. “Frank is an expert already and would be great at giving pointers.”
In November 2023, Frank was once again helping to organize and implement a project involving bluebird nest boxes. On behalf of the South Riding Proprietary, Frank submitted a grant request to the Virginia Bluebird Society for 20 new nest boxes to add to an existing trail of three boxes. The grant was approved, and this time Frank worked with Loudoun Wildlife Board Member Michael Sciortino, Eagle Scout candidate Nathan Stewart, and Boy Scout Troop 1430 to install the new boxes. “Frank was instrumental in organizing the new South Riding bluebird trail as well as continuing to support the other 49 nest boxes in the community… those are huge accomplishments,” Michael said. “He is a pleasure to work with.”
Frank’s success with these projects is a testament to his longtime love of birds and leading efforts to help. Early in his career Frank worked for the Massachusetts Audubon Society as an ornithologist. He has led whale watching and other wildlife tours in the United States and internationally, and served in other roles in conservation. He was the director of Imaginarium, a children’s museum, and at two automobile museums. Frank is also accomplished at garden design and was awarded Gold and Silver gilt medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show in England.
We are grateful Frank chose to share his interests, knowledge, and skills with Loudoun Wildlife and our Bluebird Monitoring Program. He obviously loves working with both people and bluebirds because he does it so well.