Sightings – Animals
Observer: Ilan Fisher
Observation Date: 8/28/20
Observation Time: 12:00 p.m.
Observation Location: near intersection of Beach & Harding Streets
Common Name: Mallard
Scientific Name: Anas platyrhynchos
Comments: Perhaps the most familiar of all ducks, Mallards occur throughout North America and Eurasia in ponds and parks as well as wilder wetlands and estuaries. The male’s gleaming green head, gray flanks, and black tail-curl arguably make it the most easily identified duck. Mallards have long been hunted for the table, and almost all domestic ducks come from this species.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Marshall Katler
Observation Date: 9/26/23
Observation Time: 1:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Mansfield St.
Common Name: Marbled Orbweaver Spider
Scientific Name: Araneus marmoreus var. marmoreus
Comments: Although usually found in woodland, this one was found on the side of a house. It is most likely a male.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/17/11
Observation Time: 12:15 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam
Common Name: Mason Wasp
Scientific Name: Monobia quadridens
Comments: Mason wasps are solitary. They have a metallic blue sheen on their wings. Females usually build nests in abandoned holes of other bee and wasp species. Sometimes mistaken for Bald-faced Hornet, but note the position and extent of white on the abdomen.
More Information: What’s That Bug? and Cape May Wildlife Guide
Observer: Alex Hackman
Observation Date: 4/23/09
Observation Time: 9:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Beaver Brook
Common Name: Mayfly
Scientific Name: Ephemeroptera
Comments: Adult mayfly hatch observed during a paddle up Beaver Brook. This insect is an indicator of good water quality.
More Information: Texas A&M
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/5/21
Observation Time: 2:15 p.m.
Observation Location: Maskwonicut St. (on the bridge over Beaver Brook)
Common Name: Mexican Grass-carrying Wasp
Scientific Name: Isodontia mexicana
Comments: Isodontia mexicana is mainly found throughout North America, but has become established in Europe, primarily France, Switzerland, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, and Spain.
These wasps build their nests in hollowed branches or in other natural cavities, often reusing the nests of other species. Then they line the inside with grass fragments or other plant fibers (hence the name ‘Grass-carrying wasp’).
I. mexicana mainly preys on grasshoppers (usually katydids or tree crickets, choosing the small ones and carrying them to its nest to feed the emerging larvae with the living, but paralyzed prey.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Kathy Farrell
Observation Date: 10/17/18
Observation Time: 3:46 p.m.
Observation Location: Beaver Brook Trail
Common Name: Milk Snake
Scientific Name: Lampropeltis triangulum
Comments: Beautiful snake in middle of trail. Not very big…maybe 6-8″. Maybe juvenile? Was shaking its tail at me! No rattle.
More Information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_snake
Observer: Marcia Tranavitch
Observation Date: 5/2/20
Observation Time: noon
Observation Location: against the retaining wall in my garden at 24 Pine St.
Common Name: Milk Snake
Scientific Name: Lampropeltis triangulum
Comments: I encountered him/her among the leaves I was cleaning out at the edge of the woods on my property.
I estimate this milk snake was at least 3 feet in length. To appreciate its length, note the additional section of the snake that is visible in the upper right corner of two of these three photos.
More Information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_snake
Observer: Kate Kavanagh
Observation Date: 6/3/10
Observation Time: 4:15 p.m.
Observation Location: South Pleasant Street
Common Name: Milk Snake
Scientific Name: Lampropeltis triangulum
Comments: This beautiful snake was slowly moving along the foundation of the house in the front garden bed. Disappeared into the gap behind the front step. Sadly, I was not fast enough with my camera.
More Information: UMass Amherst Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/12/13
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Street
Common Name: Milk Snake
Scientific Name: Lampropeltis triangulum
Comments: Sad to see this beautiful non-venomous milk snake run over by a car. Milk snakes are generally docile, but when alarmed, they sometimes shake their tails against dead leaves to imitate the sound of a rattlesnake.
More Information: Virginia Herpetological Society
Observer: John Wraga
Observation Date: 3/2/14
Observation Time: 2:45 p.m.
Observation Location: Traphole Brook at High Plain St.
Common Name: Mink
Scientific Name: Neovison vison
Comments: Mink are semi-aquatic. They eat crayfish, small frogs and fish, along with small mammals such as shrews, rabbits, mice, and muskrats. They also prey on ducks and other water fowl.
This mink was hit and killed by a vehicle as it crossed the road by Traphole Brook.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/26/10
Observation Time: 5:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Monarch Butterfly
Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus
Comments: In fall, eastern monarchs migrate thousands of miles from Canada to Mexico and parts of Arizona and Florida. In spring, the overwintered population migrates part of the way back. Then a second, third and fourth generation continues the migration to back to Canada.
The number of monarchs overwintering in Mexico has shown a long-term downward trend. In 2014, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Food Safety filed a legal petition requesting Endangered Species Act protection for the monarch and its habitat.
Efforts are underway to establish monarch waystations. A growing number of homeowners are establishing butterfly gardens; monarchs can be attracted by cultivating a butterfly garden with specific plant species.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/24/21
Observation Time: 2:50 p.m.
Observation Place: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Monarch Butterfly
Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus
Comments: Monarchs make an epic, multi-generational migration. Check it out at the link below.
More Information: National Geographic
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/24/14
Observation Time: 1:15 p.m.
Observation Place: TTOR’s Moose Hill Farm (formerly the Kendall Estate)
Common Name: Monarch Butterfly
Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus
Comments: With winter approaching, this monarch was nearing the end of its life. Monarchs make an epic, multi-generational migration. Check it out at the link below.
More Information: National Geographic
Observer: Rita Corey
Observation Date: 8/13/20
Observation Time: 3:40 p.m.
Observation Place: Mountain St.
Common Name: Monarch Butterfly caterpillar
Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus
Comments: This monarch caterpillar was feeding on milkweed. It will soon form a chrysalis.
Milkweed is poisonous. Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed to make themselves poisonous to avoid predation. Their bright coloration is a warning to predators. Eating milkweed can sometimes be fatal to the monarch caterpillar itself.
Monarchs make an epic, multi-generational migration. Check it out at the link below.
More Information: National Geographic
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/15/18
Observation Time: 1:15 p.m.
Observation Place: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Monarch Butterfly caterpillar and chrysalis
Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus
Comments: This caterpillar was feeding on milkweed. It will soon form a chrysalis, as others nearby had already done.
Monarchs make an epic, multi-generational migration. Check it out at the link below.
More Information: National Geographic
Monarch chrysalis:
Observer: Gaurav Shah
Observation Date: 7/1/23
Observation Time: 4:00 p.m.
Observation Location: trail off Billings St.
Common Name: Moth Fly or Drain Fly
Scientific Name: Family Psychodidae, possibly genus Pericoma
Comments: There are many species of flies in the family Psychodidae. Some are called “drain flies” because they thrive in the drains of sinks and commonly infest bathrooms. Other species in this family are called “moth flies” because they have fuzzy bodies and feathery antennae that are characteristic of many species of moths. The fact that this specimen was observed in the woods and not in a bathroom suggests that it is a type of moth fly.
More Information: Missouri Dept. of Conservation and Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/22/13
Observation Time: 2:00 p.m.
Observation Location: King Phillip’s Rock
Common Name: Mottled Prominent Moth (caterpillar)
Scientific Name: Macrurocampa marthesia
Comments: For a photo of the adult Mottled Prominent
moth, see: http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/177197-Macrurocampa-marthesia
More Information: BugGuide
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/9/11
Observation Time: 2:50 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Mourning Cloak butterfly
Scientific Name: Nymphalis antiopa
Comments: Unlike most butterflies, mourning cloaks overwinter as adults, so they are often the first butterfly seen in spring.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/16/23
Observation Time: 4:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Mourning Cloak Butterfly
Scientific Name: Nymphalis antiopa
Comments: This striking butterfly overwinters as an adult. That is why it is the first butterfly to be seen in early spring. This battle-scarred individual was inhabiting a small clearing beside the trail. As I stood and watched, it flew within a foot of my face several times, as if it was curious about the strange apparition that had entered its home space.
More Information: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Nymphalis-antiopa
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/2/13
Observation Time: 7:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road near soccer fields
Common Name: Mourning Cloak Butterfly
Scientific Name: Nymphalis antiopa
Comments: Unlike most butterfly species, mourning cloaks overwinter as adults, so they are typically the first butterflies seen in spring. This tattered individual was on its last legs, but still displayed striking coloration.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/13/19
Observation Time: 7:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Mourning Dove
Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura
Comments: The mourning dove is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American bird species. It is also a leading gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years) shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure is due to its prolific breeding; in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods of two young each in a single year.
More Information: Wikipedia or All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/15/20
Observation Time: 9:30 a.m.
Observation Location: parking area by Lake Massapoag boat ramp
Common Name: Mourning Dove
Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura
Comments: The mourning dove is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American bird species. It is also a leading gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years) shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure is due to its prolific breeding; in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods of two young each in a single year.
More Information: Wikipedia or All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/2/19
Observation Time: 1:10 p.m.
Observation Location: beneath the high tension wires that parallel So. Walpole St.
Common Name: Mourning Dove
Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura
Comments: The mourning dove is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American bird species. It is also a leading gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years) shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure is due to its prolific breeding; in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods of two young each in a single year.
More Information: Wikipedia or All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/2/10
Observation Time: 8:40 a.m.
Observation Location: near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Mourning Dove
Scientific Name: Zenaida macroura
Comments: The mourning dove is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American bird species. It is also a leading gamebird, with more than 20 million birds (up to 70 million in some years) shot annually in the U.S., both for sport and for meat. Its ability to sustain its population under such pressure is due to its prolific breeding; in warm areas, one pair may raise up to six broods of two young each in a single year.
More Information: Wikipedia or All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 1/20/10
Observation Time: 3:55 p.m.
Observation Location: on the ice at Knifeshop Pond, Ames Street
Common Name: Muscovy Duck
Scientific Name: Cairina moschata
Comments: The Muscovy Duck is a large duck native to Mexico and Central and South America. A small wild population reaches into the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. There also are feral breeding populations in North America in and around public parks in nearly every state of the USA and in the Canadian provinces; feral populations also exist in Europe. Although the Muscovy Duck is a tropical bird, it adapts to icy and snowy conditions down to –12°C (10°F) and below without ill effects. — Wikipedia
More Information: Avian Web
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/29/13
Observation Time: 1:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam
Common Name: Musk turtle
Scientific Name: Sternotherus odoratus
Comments: This small turtle, which only grows to 5″ in length, is common in Sharon. When disturbed, it emits a disagreeable odor, which accounts for both its common and scientific names.
This individual presumably came ashore to lay eggs. Believe it or not, musk turtles are known to climb high up into the branches of shrubs and trees.
More Information: Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/8/13
Observation Time: 6:08 p.m.
Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts
Common Name: Muskrat
Scientific Name: Ondatra zibethicus
Comments: Muskrats are fairly common near water in Sharon. They are native to North America, and related to voles and lemmings, but they are in a different genus from true rats.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 10/21/14
Observation Time: 5:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Mute Swan
Scientific Name: Cygnus olor
Comments: Swans are powerful birds that will attack humans if they feel threatened. Don’t allow your children to approach them.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Deborah Radovsky
Observation Date: 11/25/18
Observation Time: 3:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Lake Massapoag
Common Name: Mute Swan
Scientific Name: Cygnus olor
Comments: juveniles (4) and adults. These graceful birds are native to Eurasia. They were introduced in North America in the late 19th century, and are now common here. Beware! Swans can be aggressive. They may attack if they feel threatened.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Ilan Fisher
Observation Date: 3/5/20
Observation Time: 3:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Lake Massapoag (south end, off Beach St.)
Common Name: Mute Swan
Scientific Name: Cygnus olor
Comments: I saw five of these guys cruising by the lake. Sorry, no photo.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Yujie Hu
Observation Date: 3/25/09
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Saw Mill Pond
Common Name: Mute Swan
Scientific Name: Cygnus olor
Comments: Our two sons spotted these two swans on the pond behind our back yard, and they have stayed for about a week; we hope they will make it their home.
For more information about the pros and cons of swans, see: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/12/23
Observation Time: 6:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Nashville Warbler
Scientific Name: Leiothlypis ruficapilla
Comments: Nashville Warblers don’t breed anywhere near Nashville, Tennessee, although they do migrate through. The species got its name because Nashville was where Alexander Wilson first saw it in 1811, and went on to name it.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/1/19
Observation Time: 4:40 p.m.
Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm
Common Name: Nessus Sphinx Moth
Scientific Name: Amphion floridensis
Comments: The Nessus Sphinx is a member of Sphingidae, a family of powerfully fast moths that are typically seen drinking flower nectar. The Nessus Sphinx has two yellow bands on the abdomen that are thought to help it mimic a wasp as it hovers over blooms.
More Information: Insect Identification for the Casual Observer
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/2/11
Observation Time: 1:40 p.m.
Observation Location: near Gavins Pond
Common Name: North American Harvester butterfly
Scientific Name: Feniseca tarquinius
Comments: The harvester is the only North American butterfly with carnivorous larvae, usually feeding on aphids.
More Information: Tree of Life
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/27/19
Observation Time: 2:00 p.m.
Observation Location: boardwalk through Conservation land near Morse & Lakeview
Common Name: North American Millipede
Scientific Name: Narceus americanus
Comments: Millipedes first appeared in the fossil record 400 million years ago and are some of the first animals to have lived on land. It is hypothesized that these ancient species are the largest animals without backbones to have walked on earth. Modern forms appear in the late Paleozoic. While North American millipedes are currently classified as diplopods, Linnaeus classified them as apterate insects, Lamarck said they were arachnids, and others have called them worms or crustaceans.
More Information: Animal Diversity Web
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 11/19/12
Observation Time: 10:25 a.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Northern Cardinal
Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Comments: Cardinals are seen year-round in Sharon. In springtime they defend their territories, sometimes hurling themselves against glass windows when they see their own reflections, thinking it’s a competitor.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 11/27/20
Observation Time: 12:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Rd. (my back yard)
Common Name: Northern Cardinal
Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Comments: One of the most common birds in Sharon, cardinals have a whistle-like voice, and sing strongly. Learn to recognize their various vocalizations at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/sound
Cardinals typically travel in pairs. The male is bright red and the female is mostly tan.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 12/18/20
Observation Time: 8:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Rd. (our back yard)
Common Name: Northern Cardinal (female)
Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Comments: One of the most common birds in Sharon, cardinals have a whistle-like voice, and sing strongly. Learn to recognize their various vocalizations at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/sound
Cardinals typically travel in pairs. The male is bright red and the female is mostly tan.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/5/18
Observation Time: 7:25 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Cardinal
Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Comments: One of the most common birds in Sharon, cardinals have a whistle-like voice, and sing strongly. Learn to recognize their various vocalizations at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/sound
Cardinals typically travel in pairs. The female is mostly tan.
More Information: All About Birds
male:
female:
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/8/14
Observation Time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Cardinal
Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Comments: One of the most common birds in Sharon, cardinals have a whistle-like voice, and sing strongly. Learn to recognize their various vocalizations at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/sound
Cardinals typically travel in pairs. The female is mostly tan.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Ilan Fisher
Observation Date: 8/22/20
Observation Time: 5:00 p.m.
Observation Location: near intersection of Beach & Harding Streets
Common Name: Northern Cardinal (male)
Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis
Comments: One of the most common birds in Sharon, cardinals are also one of the most striking. Cardinals have a whistle-like voice, and sing strongly. Learn to recognize their various vocalizations at: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/sound
Cardinals typically travel in pairs. The female is mostly tan.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/26/10
Observation Time: 4:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts
Common Name: Northern Eyed Brown butterfly
Scientific Name: Satyrodes eurydice
Comments: This individual was perched on the handrail of the wooden footbridge constructed by SFOC over Beaver Brook.
More Information: Mass Audubon
Observer: Rick Dumont
Observation Date: 3/21/09
Observation Time: 3:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Backyard near Bay Road
Common Name: Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: Love the coloring…
If you learn to recognize the distinctive call of the flicker, you will hear them frequently in wooded areas.
More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/15/20
Observation Time: 2:45 p.m.
Observation Location: Conservation land near Sandy Ridge Circle
Common Name: Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: Flickers are woodpeckers, but they are unusual in that they eat ants and beetles on the ground. They are sometimes called yellow-shafted flickers.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/15/20
Observation Time: 9:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Conservation land near Lakeview & Morse Sts.
Common Name: Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: Flickers are woodpeckers, but they are unusual in that they eat ants and beetles on the ground. They are sometimes called yellow-shafted flickers.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/19/19
Observation Time: 7:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: Flickers are woodpeckers, but they are unusual in that they eat ants and beetles on the ground. They are sometimes called yellow-shafted flickers. The last photo below shows the yellow feathers on the underside of its tail. This individual was nesting in a hole high in a dead tree nearby.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 5/22/16
Observation Time: N/A
Observation Location: Paul Revere Rd., Sharon
Common Name: Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: Although it can climb up the trunks of trees and hammer on wood like other woodpeckers, the Northern Flicker prefers to find food on the ground. Ants are its main food, and the flicker digs in the dirt to find them. It uses its long barbed tongue to lap up the ants.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/11
Observation Time: 2:35 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: This northern flicker was injured, perhaps as a result of a hawk attack.
The Northern Flicker is part of the genus Colaptes which encompasses 12 New-World woodpeckers. There are two living and one extinct subspecies of C. auratus species. The existing sub-species were at one time considered separate species but they commonly interbreed where ranges overlap and are now considered one species by the American Ornithologists Union. Whether or not they are separate species is a well-known example of the species problem.
The Yellow-shafted Flicker Colaptes auratus resides in eastern North America. They are yellow under the tail and underwings and have yellow shafts on their primaries. They have a grey cap, a beige face and a red bar at the nape of their neck. Males have a black moustache. Colaptes comes from the Greek verb colapt, to peck. Auratus is from the Latin root aurat, meaning “gold” or “golden” and refers to the bird’s underwing coloration.
Under the name “Yellowhammer” it is the state bird of Alabama.
The Red-shafted Flicker Colaptes auratus cafer resides in western North America. They are red under the tail and underwings and have red shafts on their primaries. They have a beige cap and a grey face. Males have a red moustache. The scientific name, Colaptes auratus cafer, is the result of an error made in 1788 by the German systematist, Johann Gmelin, who believed that its original habitat was in South Africa among the Xhosa people, then known as the “Kaffir” people. (The term “Kaffir” is now considered an extreme ethnic slur in South Africa.)
The Guadalupe Flicker Colaptes auratus/cafer rufipileus extinct c. 1910.
From Wikipedia
More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/9/13
Observation Time: 3:55 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area
Common Name: Northern Flicker
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: Flickers are woodpeckers, but they are unusual in that they eat ants and beetles on the ground.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/24/11
Observation Time: 10:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Northern Flicker (fledgling)
Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus
Comments: This fledgling Northern Flicker was on the ground at first, but it hopped over to a tamarack tree and climbed up, pecking from time to time under the bark and calling repeatedly as if it wanted its mother.
More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/2/11
Observation Time: 4:50 p.m.
Observation Location: near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Northern mockingbird
Scientific Name: Mimus polyglottos
Comments: As both the common name and the scientific name suggest, the northern mockingbird mimics other birds and other sounds in its environment. If you are familiar with bird songs, you can sometimes get clues about what other bird species might be around by listening to a mockingbird.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/6/10
Observation Time: 4:15 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Northern mockingbird
Scientific Name: Mimus polyglottos
Comments: Mockingbirds repeat whatever they are mocking 3 or 4 times. That differentiates them from the other two mimics found in Sharon, brown thrashers (that repeat twice), and catbirds (that repeat only once).
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/22/13
Observation Time: 4:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area near soccer parking lot
Common Name: Northern Paper Wasp
Scientific Name: Polistes fuscatus
Comments: This individual appeared to be gleaning wood fibers for use in constructing or repairing a nest.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/7/23
Observation Time: 8:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Parula Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga americana
Comments: Northern parula warblers pass through Sharon in late April and early May on their northward migration. They are typically seen high in the trees, so it helps to look for them at the end of April and the beginning of May before the leaves have fully emerged. An app called Merlin is very helpful for finding out what species of birds are singing nearby.
You can monitor the bird migration in spring by keeping an eye on the live radar map at: http://birdcast.info/live-migration-maps/
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/8/23
Observation Time: 9:05 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Parula Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga americana
Comments: Northern parula warblers pass through Sharon in late April and early May on their northward migration. They are typically seen high in the trees, so it helps to look for them at the end of April and the beginning of May before the leaves have fully emerged. An app called Merlin is very helpful for finding out what species of birds are singing nearby.
You can monitor the bird migration in spring by keeping an eye on the live radar map at: http://birdcast.info/live-migration-maps/
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/25/15
Observation Time: 1:00 p.m.
Observation Location: near Beaver Brook (near train station tennis courts)
Common Name: Northern Pearly-Eye butterfly
Scientific Name: Enodia anthedon
Comments: Northern Pearly-Eye butterflies are very similar to Eyed Browns and Appalachian Browns. All can be found in Sharon.
More Information: Butterflies of Massachusetts
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/26/13
Observation Time: 5:10 p.m.
Observation Location: near Beaver Brook (near train station tennis courts)
Common Name: Northern Pearly-Eye butterfly
Scientific Name: Enodia anthedon
Comments: These three butterfly species are very similar: Eyed Brown, Appalachian Brown, and Northern Pearly-Eye. All can be found in Sharon.
These two Northern Pearly-eye butterflies were courting.
More Information: Butterflies of Massachusetts
Observer: Vin Zollo
Observation Date: 10/16/22
Observation Time: nighttime
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Center
Common Name: Northern Saw-whet Owl
Scientific Name: Aegolius acadicus
Comments: This bird was captured as part of a banding program to learn more about this common owl, which is seldom seen because it is nocturnal.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/30/12
Observation Time: 6:05 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area
Common Name: Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Scientific Name: Blarina brevicauda
Comments: This venomous mammal is a highly active insectivore that consumes up to three times its weight daily. I don’t know why this specimen died.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 10/11/09
Observation Time: 4:20 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Northern Shoveler duck
Scientific Name: Anas clypeata
Comments: This duck gets its name from its large bill.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/7/15
Observation Time: 5:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area
Common Name: Northern Walkingstick
Scientific Name: Diapheromera femorata
Comments: This harmless insect uses its bizarre body shape to blend in to the foliage and avoid detection by potential predators.
More Information: Bugguide
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/31/12
Observation Time: 8:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam
Common Name: Northern Water Snake
Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon
Comments: This big water snake was stalking a frog.
More Information: http://www.snake-removal.com/northernwatersnake.html
It tastes the air with its forked tongue.
Its scales have ridges called “keels.”
The frog got away.
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/12/13
Observation Time: 1:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam
Common Name: Northern Water Snake
Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon
Comments: The older northern water snakes get, the blacker they become. This mature specimen appears to be all black, but the underside is still colorful. Non-venomous northern water snakes are sometimes confused with venomous water moccasins, which live farther south. Even older northern water snakes that look black when on shore may appear banded when swimming through the water.
Note the ridges on the scales, called “keels.”
More information on this one-minute video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uw6W8NaJmfo
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/9/11
Observation Time: 3:45 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam
Common Name: Northern Water Snake
Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon
Comments: Water snakes are not venomous, but they can be large (4 feet long or more, and as thick as a man’s wrist) and aggressive. This one was more interested in avoiding me than attacking me.
More Information: Savannah River Ecology Laboratory
The scales have ridges called “keels.”
Observer: Alex Hackman
Observation Date: 8/14/10
Observation Time: 11:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Outlet of Gavins Pond
Common Name: Northern Water Snake
Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon
Comments: Lucky to see this water snake slither by while taking stream flow measurements.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/6/12
Observation Time: 1:10 p.m.
Observation Location: outflow pool below Gavins Pond Dam
Common Name: Northern Water Snake (juvenile)
Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon
Comments: Young northern water snake males are more brightly marked than older ones, which tend to be all black.
More Information: Snakes of Massachusetts
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/1/18
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Waterthrush
Scientific Name: Parkesia noveboracensis
Comments: The northern waterthrush is actually a type of warbler. It looks a lot like an ovenbird, which is also a warbler. This one was seen near the boardwalk through the wetlands at Moose Hill.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/18
Observation Time: 12:50
Observation Location: meadow at Morse and Lakeview
Common Name: Northern Waterthrush
Scientific Name: Parkesia noveboracensis
Comments: The northern waterthrush is actually a type of warbler. It looks a lot like an ovenbird, which is also a warbler. This one was seen in the town-owned meadow at the junction of Morse and Lakeview Streets.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/12/16
Observation Time: 9:50 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Center
Common Name: Northern Waterthrush
Scientific Name: Parkesia noveboracensis
Comments: A bird of northern forests, the Northern Waterthrush is in the warbler family. It sings its loud, ringing song from wooded swamps, bogs and streams. It migrates through Sharon in spring and fall, bobbing its tail in the woods near water.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/23
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Waterthrush
Scientific Name: Parkesia noveboracensis
Comments: The northern waterthrush is actually a type of warbler. It looks a lot like an ovenbird, which is also a warbler. This one was seen along the boardwalk through the wetlands at Moose Hill.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/5/23
Observation Time: 7:25 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Northern Waterthrush
Scientific Name: Parkesia noveboracensis
Comments: The northern waterthrush is actually a type of warbler. It looks a lot like an ovenbird, which is also a warbler. This one was seen along the boardwalk through the wetlands at Moose Hill.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 9/10/19
Observation Time: 6:20 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Northeastern Sawyer Beetle
Scientific Name: Monochamus notatus
Comments: The Northeastern Pine Sawyer Beetle is one of several harmless native species that look like the exotic and destructive Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB).
The Northeastern Sawyer is our largest native longhorn beetle, about as large as ALB, but different in color and pattern: it can be distinguished from ALB by its dull grey color and lack of pattern on its wing covers (the antennae may appear banded, but they won’t be as vivid as they are on ALB). Additionally, while adult ALB will be found on living hardwood trees, the Northeastern Sawyer targets dead or dying conifers. Both adult and larval Northeastern Sawyers prefer to eat the rotting wood of conifers such as pine, spruce, and fir, versus the live, fresh hardwood required by ALB.
Adult Northeastern Sawyer Beetles are active from May through September, while Asian Longhorned Beetles are still active through the first hard frost.
Any sightings of suspicious beetle or tree damage can be reported here. Be sure to get a picture or collect the specimen.
More Information: Massachusetts Introduced Pests
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/1/14
Observation Time: 12:10 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd.
Common Name: Nursery web spider
Scientific Name: Pisaurina mira
Comments: This large spider was on a tree trunk in my back yard.
More Information: Kentucky Spiders
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/20
Observation Time: 11:05 a.m.
Observation Location: in a small oak tree in the field across the street from the Gavins Pond soccer fields
Common Name: Oak gall
Scientific Name: caused by small wasps in the family Cynipidae
Comments: Oak apple or oak gall is the common name for a large, round, vaguely apple-like gall commonly found on many species of oak. Oak apples range in size from 2 to 4 centimetres (1 to 2 in) in diameter and are caused by chemicals injected by the larvae of certain kinds of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. The adult female wasp lays single eggs in developing leaf buds. The wasp larvae feed on the gall tissue resulting from their secretions, which modify the oak bud into the gall, a structure that protects the developing larvae until they undergo metamorphosis into adults. Considerable confusion exists in the general “literature” between the oak apple and the oak marble gall. The oak marble is frequently called the oak apple due to the superficial resemblance and the preponderance of the oak marble gall in the wild. Other galls found on oak trees include the oak artichoke gall and the acorn cup gall, but each of these has its own distinctive form.
Some common oak-apple-forming species are the Biorhiza pallida gall wasp in Europe, Amphibolips confluenta in eastern North America,[2] and Atrusca bella in western North America.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/16/20
Observation Time: 6:45 a.m.
Observation Location: near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Olive-sided flycatcher
Scientific Name: Contopus cooperi
Comments: I encountered this bird perched about 30 feet up in a leafless tree on the right side of the trail leading from the soccer fields to Gavins Pond dam, where the trail emerges from the woods and bends left toward the dam.
More Information: All About Birds