Now I’m not talking about a physical white M like a billboard or a sign or anything……nope….I’m talking about a neat little butterfly called a White M Hairstreak that as caterpillars feeds on oaks as it’s host plant.
While it would seem like we should have this butterfly around rather commonly, the sighting this past week is only second we’ve had in 10 years!
It was found on our bird walk that took place last week at Morven Park in Leesburg (yes, sometimes eyes wander and we get distracted by other cool things when we go out into nature 
. Ten years ago when we had our first sighting, it was in this same area I believe so that’s an interesting correlation.
The White M was first spotted by Jenny Vick and Sheryl Pollock took this great photo. This would have been a lifer for most of us! Very exciting sighting!
Eight birders, led by Sharon Kearns & assisted by Joe Coleman, visited the 1,000-acre Morven Park on Monday morning for one of the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy’s International Migratory Bird walks.
Morven Park is a large property which is not only the historic home of Governor Westmoreland Davis but includes several hundred acres of mature forest along the Catoctin Ridge. Sharon has lived next door to Morven Park for years & is very familiar with its trails.
While the highlight of the walk was a butterfly, the White M Hairstreak (which I will post about separately), we also found over 50 species of birds including several thrush species, a 1/2 dozen warblers, and had dynamite looks at eye-level Scarlet Tanagers. Before the walk started, Sharon had a Great-horned Owl calling at her house.
We observed:
Canada Goose, Mallard, Great Blue Heron, Turkey Vulture, Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Chimney Swifts, Red-bellied WP, Downy WP, Pileated WP, Eastern Wood-pewee, Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe, Great Crested Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Tree, Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH at least one, maybe two, Swainson’s Thrush – at least three, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, European Starling, Northern Parula, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, Ovenbird, Chipping Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Northern Cardinal, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow