We're the Good Geese, and this is not just our first Birdathon, but also our first time birding together as a family!

Jess is an avid bird-watcher and is constantly pointing out birds to Matt, Miles (11) and Mac (8), who are not always as thrilled as she is, but they tolerate her excitement.

Our first Birdathon is in the books!

Our first Birdathon is in the books! We headed out to Royal Lake in Fairfax around 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 10. This is a favorite hiking and fishing spot for us, but this time we spent more than 2 hours walking the path around the lake instead of the usual 45 minutes. We stopped often to watch and listen and take notice of the birds around us. We learned to use eBird and discovered how cool the Merlin app is. And…we even had fun. Those words were actually spoken out loud: “Mom, this is actually really fun.” To be fair, we also brought plenty of snacks. We finished our count later in the afternoon right around our neighborhood on our usual walking route, then spent a little extra time walking around the perimeter of our townhouse community.

Our final tally between our two walks was 49 species!

A few highlights:

• We were checking out a tiny turtle after stopping by the edge of the lake to watch a Great Blue Heron out on a log in the water nearby. We heard a huge splash and a squawk and looked up just in time to see an Osprey leaving the water right in front of the heron with a fish in its talons.
• Toward the tail-end of our walk at Royal Lake, a Red-shouldered Hawk swooped right in front of us on the trail, tailed by a very vocal Blue Jay.
• We got to watch a Pileated Woodpecker that seemed to have some beef with a squirrel, chasing it from tree to tree.
• We heard a Barred Owl calling from a distance right in our neighborhood - we hear actually hear them pretty often, but it was great to hear one on our count day.

A few things we were surprised we didn’t see: 

• Not a single duck! We usually see at least a few Mallards at Royal Lake, but not this time.
• No vultures! 
• A variety of hawks - just the one Red-shouldered Hawk on the trail.

We had a great time and learned a ton - hopefully this was the first of many birding adventures to come. Can't wait for next year!

Why are we participating in Birdathon?

NVBA has taught us so much over the years since I started as a volunteer with them back in 2017, not just about birds, but about the interconnectedness of nature and all the wonder we can find if we just take the time to observe. This organization has helped me, personally, to see so much more about the world around me and the impact each of us can have on improving and conserving it. Our actions matter, even if they are small, and NVBA has been a contstant source of inspiration and information for me and my family to both see the bigger picture and the impacts of our own decisions on the birds and wildlife we treasure. So we are trying our hand at Birdathon to help support that work for everyone!

Thank you for supporting the Good Geese and NVBA!

Birdathon helps NVBA to support outdoor education, citizen science, habitat conservation and programs to encourage people to plant native plants and protect native wildlife. Birdathon also helps ornithologists better understand spring migration by reporting sightings through eBird, an online database of bird observations run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Here's how you can help:

• Donate: Contribute whatever you can. Every dollar counts!
• Spread the Word: Share our fundraising page with your friends, family, and social networks. Let’s spread awareness so we can raise more!

Thank you so much for your support and for helping us help birds and wildlife here in northern Virginia! We couldn’t do it without you!