Sightings – Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/28/23
Observation Time: 11:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Hermit Thrush
Scientific Name: Catharus guttatus
Comments: This one was singing near a trail in the woods. I was able to identify its song before I saw it.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 11/14/10
Observation Time: 9:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Hooded merganser
Scientific Name: Lophodytes cucullatus
Comments: Hooded mergansers are diving ducks. The drake (male) has a spectacular white “hood” on the back of its head, and striking black and white bars on its body, while the female is drab reddish brown.
“A small fish-eating duck of wooded ponds, the Hooded Merganser nests in holes in trees. It is frequently seen on shallow waters where its only waterfowl companion is the Wood Duck.” – All About Birds
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 3/10/10
Observation Time: 1:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Hooded merganser
Scientific Name: Lophodytes cucullatus
Comments: I observed two males and a female hooded merganser diving frequently. Also saw one common merganser, several ring-necked ducks, and a pair of wood ducks among a large number of Canada geese.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Ilan Fisher
Observation Date: 3/8/20
Observation Time: 3:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Car Shop Pond
Common Name: Hooded merganser
Scientific Name: Lophodytes cucullatus
Comments: Check out the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnoGijQwyvw
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 11/17/12
Observation Time: 4:45 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond
Common Name: Hooded Merganser (male)
Scientific Name: Lophodytes cucullatus
Comments: Hooded mergansers are small but striking diving ducks that migrate through Sharon on their way south for the winter.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Will Sweet
Observation Date: 5/17/23
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Hooded Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga citrina
Comments: Hooded warblers are typically not found in Massachusetts. The northern extent of their range is reportedly southern Connecticut and Rhode Island. See: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Hooded_Warbler/maps-range
It will be interesting to see if this sighting is a harbinger of a northward shift in the range of hooded warblers as a result of climate change.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 11/27/20
Observation Time: 12:05 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd. (my back yard)
Common Name: House Finch
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Male house finches have reddish coloration on their head and breast. Females are streaked brown. Both have a heavy, conical beak for cracking seeds open.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/25/23
Observation Time: 1:15 pm
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Rd (my back yard)
Common Name: House Finch
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Male house finches have reddish coloration on their head and breast. Females are brown. Both have a heavy, conical beak for cracking seeds open.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/2/20
Observation Time: 7:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Ward’s Berry Farm
Common Name: House Finch
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Male house finches have reddish coloration on their head and breast. Females are brown. Both have a heavy, conical beak for cracking seeds open.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/5/18
Observation Time: 8:05 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: House Finch
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Male house finches have reddish coloration on their head and breast. Females are brown. Both have a heavy, conical beak for cracking seeds open.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/17/13
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond area
Common Name: House Finch
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Male house finches have reddish coloration on their head and breast. Females are brown. Both have a heavy, conical beak for cracking seeds open.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/13/13
Observation Time: noon
Observation Location: Gavins Pond soccer fields
Common Name: House Finch (female)
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Male house finches have reddish coloration on their head and breast. Females are brown. Both have a heavy, conical beak for cracking seeds open.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/19
Observation Time: 10:50 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: House Wren
Scientific Name: Troglodytes aedon
Comments: This house wren was nowhere near a human habitation. House wrens often fill bluebird nesting boxes chock full of twigs, presumably to prevent other birds from nesting in their territory.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 5/18/23
Observation Time: 2:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (Field Loop)
Common Name: House Wren
Scientific Name: Troglodytes aedon
Comments: House wrens often fill bluebird nesting boxes chock full of twigs, presumably to prevent other birds from nesting in their territory.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/13/16
Observation Time: 1:05 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd., backyard garden
Common Name: House Wren
Scientific Name: Troglodytes aedon
Comments: A plain brown bird with an effervescent voice, the House Wren is a common backyard bird over nearly the entire Western Hemisphere. Listen for its rush-and-jumble song in summer and you’ll find this species zipping through shrubs and low tree branches, snatching at insects.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 6/9/20
Observation Time: 9:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill area
Common Name: House Wren
Scientific Name: Troglodytes aedon
Comments: House wrens often fill bluebird nesting boxes chock full of twigs, presumably to prevent other birds from nesting in their territory. They have a harsh, jumbled scolding call. Learn it and you will find them around town.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7-6-21
Observation Time: 12:50 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd.
Common Name: House Wren
Scientific Name: Troglodytes aedon
Comments: House wrens often fill bluebird nesting boxes chock full of twigs, presumably to prevent other birds from nesting in their territory. This year a pair of house wrens raised their chicks in a bird house we placed on the back deck. We watched the parents constantly bringing insects to their chicks.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Chick peeking out in expectation of being fed
Chick being fed
Observer: Jason Platt
Observation Date: 5/8/18
Observation Time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: House Wren
Scientific Name: Troglodytes aedon
Comments: House Wrens have a huge geographic range, and they live in many habitats, so long as they feature trees, shrubs, and tangles interspersed with clearings. Examples range from eastern deciduous forests and southern swamps to western conifer forests and aspen groves as high as 10,000 feet elevation. Because they’re cavity nesters, House Wrens thrive around buildings, yards, farms, and other human habitations with their many nooks and crannies.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/21/20
Observation Time: 9:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Indigo Buntings are actually black; the diffraction of light through their feathers makes them look blue. This explains why males can appear as various hues from turquoise to black. Note the different color of the bird in the last photo below. These photos are all of the same bird.
Indigo buntings are more common now than when the pilgrims first landed. This is due to an increase in their favorite habitat of woodland edges, power line clearings and along roads.
They migrate at night, using the pattern of stars nearest the North Star to guide them. In captivity, these birds will become disoriented if they can’t see the stars in April/May and September/October.
A group of buntings are collectively known as a “decoration”, a “mural”, or a “sacrifice” of buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/22/18
Observation Time: 8:15 a.m.
Observation Location: under the powerlines near Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Only the male indigo bunting is blue. The female is brown. Indigo buntings are members of the family Cardinalidae, which includes cardinals.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/23
Observation Time: 8:40 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon WIldlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Indigo Buntings are actually black; the diffraction of light through their feathers makes them look blue. This explains why males can appear as various hues from turquoise to black.
Indigo buntings are more common now than when the pilgrims first landed. This is due to an increase in their favorite habitat of woodland edges, power line clearings and along roads.
They migrate at night, using the pattern of stars nearest the North Star to guide them. In captivity, these birds will become disoriented if they can’t see the stars in April/May and September/October.
A group of buntings are collectively known as a “decoration”, a “mural”, or a “sacrifice” of buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 5/24/18
Observation Time: N/A
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm, Powerline Trail
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Like all other blue birds, Indigo Buntings lack blue pigment. Their jewel-like color comes instead from microscopic structures in the feathers that refract and reflect blue light, much like the airborne particles that cause the sky to look blue.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Punitha Hanumantha
Observation Date: 5/25/23
Observation Time: 5:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Fales Rd., Sharon
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Indigo Buntings are actually black; the diffraction of light through their feathers makes them look blue. This explains why males can appear as various hues from turquoise to black.
Indigo buntings are more common now than when the pilgrims first landed. This is due to an increase in their favorite habitat of woodland edges, power line clearings and along roads.
They migrate at night, using the pattern of stars nearest the North Star to guide them. In captivity, these birds will become disoriented if they can’t see the stars in April/May and September/October.
A group of buntings are collectively known as a “decoration”, a “mural”, or a “sacrifice” of buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 5/27/18
Observation Time: 7:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm, Old Farm Trail
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Sometimes nicknamed “blue canaries,” these brilliantly colored yet common and widespread birds whistle their bouncy songs through the late spring and summer all over eastern North America. Look for Indigo Buntings in weedy fields and shrubby areas under power lines, singing from dawn to dusk atop the tallest perch in sight or foraging for seeds and insects in low vegetation.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/28/23
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Indigo Buntings are actually black; the diffraction of light through their feathers makes them look blue. This explains why males can appear as various hues from turquoise to black.
Indigo buntings are more common now than when the pilgrims first landed. This is due to an increase in their favorite habitat of woodland edges, power line clearings and along roads.
They migrate at night, using the pattern of stars nearest the North Star to guide them. In captivity, these birds will become disoriented if they can’t see the stars in April/May and September/October.
A group of buntings are collectively known as a “decoration”, a “mural”, or a “sacrifice” of buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/30/14
Observation Time: 11:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Under the powerlines near Walpole St.
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Only the male indigo bunting is blue. The female is brown. Indigo buntings are members of the family Cardinalidae, which includes cardinals.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/30/20
Observation Time: 2:45 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Male indigo buntings are actually black; the diffraction of light through their feathers makes them look blue. This explains why males can appear as various hues from turquoise to black.
Female indigo buntings are brown (see photos below).
More Information: All About Birds
Male:
Female:
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/18/16
Observation Time: 3:55 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm, Trustees of Reservations
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Indigo Buntings are actually black; the diffraction of light through their feathers makes them look blue. This explains why males can appear as various hues from turquoise to black.
They are more common now than when the pilgrims first landed. This is due to an increase in their favorite habitat of woodland edges, such as power line clearings and along roads.
They migrate at night, using the pattern of stars nearest the North Star to guide them. In captivity, these birds will become disoriented if they can’t see the stars in April/May and September/October.
A group of buntings are collectively known as a “decoration”, a “mural”, or a “sacrifice” of buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/25/16
Observation Time: 12:55 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Street under high tension wires
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: In parts of the East, Indigo Bunting may be the most abundant songbird, with the deep-blue males singing along every roadside. The plain brown females are seen far less often, and they have good reason to be inconspicuous: they do almost all the work of caring for the eggs and young, hidden away in dense thickets. This species favors brushy edges rather than unbroken forest, and is probably far more common today than when the Pilgrims landed.
More Information: Audubon Guide to North American Birds
Observer: Molly DellaRoman
Observation Date: 7/11/13
Observation Time: 3:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations Moose Hill Farm
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Patti Austin
Observation Date: 7/20/10
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary – back yard
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: WOW!
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/5/09
Observation Time: 1:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm, Trustees of Reservations
Common Name: Indigo Bunting
Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea
Comments: Indigo Buntings are actually black; the diffraction of light through their feathers makes them look blue. This explains why males can appear as various hues from turquoise to black.
They are more common now than when the pilgrims first landed. This is due to an increase in their favorite habitat of woodland edges, such as power line clearings and along roads.
They migrate at night, using the pattern of stars nearest the North Star to guide them. In captivity, these birds will become disoriented if they can’t see the stars in April/May and September/October.
A group of buntings are collectively known as a “decoration”, a “mural”, or a “sacrifice” of buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Levi McGowan & Ilan Fisher
Observation Date: 5/26/22
Observation Time: 5:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Beach & Harding
Common Name: Japanese Quail
Scientific Name: Cotumix japonica
Comments: Check out this Youtube video to see the quail and hear its call: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZ3y08Iub_k
More Information: eBird
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/13/13
Observation Time: 6:15 p.m.
Observation Location: Field near Gavins Pond Dam
Common Name: American Kestrel
Scientific Name: Falco sparverius
Comments: I was puzzled that five of the six bluebird houses that I checked were empty in mid-April when nesting should have been in full-swing. Then I saw a kestrel (a.k.a sparrow hawk) in a tree by the field. You can tell it’s a male by the blue wings.
Kestrels are the smallest falcons. They are declining in parts of their range.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/27/23
Observation Time: 3:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: American Kestrel (a.k.a. sparrow hawk)
Scientific Name: Falco sparverius
Comments: This kestrel (a.k.a sparrow hawk) was in a tree by the big cow pasture. It flew down and disappeared in the grass. I think it might have caught a mouse. Then it flew off.
Kestrels are the smallest falcons. They are declining in parts of their range.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/22/21
Observation Time: noon
Observation Location: composting area at the end of Farnham Road
Common Name: Killdeer
Scientific Name: Charadrius vociferus
Comments: This “freshwater sandpiper” makes a piercing cry, which explains its species name “vociferus“. This species is one of the least water-associated of all shorebirds. Note the red rings around its large eyes.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/5/10
Observation Time: 5:35 p.m.
Observation Location: Ward’s Berry Farm
Common Name: Killdeer
Scientific Name: Charadrius vociferus
Comments: This “freshwater sandpiper” was attracted to a puddle in Ward’s field during hot dry weather. A member of the plover family, killdeers lay their camouflaged eggs on the ground without bothering to make a nest.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 12/14/17
Observation Time: sunset
Observation Location: Lake Massapoag
Common Name: Lesser Scaup
Scientific Name: Aythya affinis
Comments: The peaked profile of the heads indicates that these are Lesser Scaups. Greater Scaups have a rounder head.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Liam Waters
Observation Date: 5/13/14
Observation Time: 6:50 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Lincoln’s sparrow
Scientific Name: Melospiza lincolnii
Comments: This unusual sparrow was spotted on a morning walk at Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary. These walks take place at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in May. Dawn walks at Moose Hill are memorable experiences due to the diversity of bird life, the expert birders who help with identification, and the beautiful surroundings. Check with Moose Hill for confirmation.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/19
Observation Time: 8:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Magnolia Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga magnolia
Comments: These gorgeous little birds pass through Sharon in early May on their northward migration. Learn to recognize their song to improve your chances of seeing one early on a clear morning at the end of April or in early May.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/13/14
Observation Time: 1:45 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Magnolia warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga magnolia
Comments: Magnolia warblers are striking birds, but they are hard to photograph because these nervous little birds move constantly.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/13/19
Observation Time: 8:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Magnolia Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga magnolia
Comments: These gorgeous little birds pass through Sharon in early May on their northward migration. Learn to recognize their song to improve your chances of seeing one.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/14/23
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Magnolia Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga magnolia
Comments: These gorgeous little birds pass through Sharon in early May on their northward migration. Learn to recognize their song to improve your chances of seeing one early on a clear morning at the end of April or in early May.
The end of its tail looks like it was dipped in black paint. This is a distinguishing feature of magnolia warblers.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/24/18
Observation Time: 8:10 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Magnolia Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga magnolia
Comments: Magnolia warblers are striking birds, but they are hard to photograph because they don’t hold still. Warblers migrate through Sharon in late April through May, feeding primarily on insects and spiders to maintain their strength for the long flight north. After the leaves come out, warblers are especially hard to see up in the trees. You can find them easier if you memorize their respective songs.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/8/19
Observation Time: 7:55 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Magnolia Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga magnolia
Comments: Warblers are like jewels in the woods. I was very lucky to get this shot, but those who spend time looking around outdoors, especially on sunny mornings in early May, are treated to sightings like this once in a while.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 1/20/10
Observation Time: 3:55 p.m.
Observation Location: Knifeshop Pond, Ames Street
Common Name: Mallard
Scientific Name: Anas platyrhynchos
Comments: The Mallard is a rare example of both Allen’s Rule and Bergmann’s Rule in birds. Bergmann’s Rule, which states that polar forms tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates, has numerous examples in birds. Allen’s Rule says that appendages like ears tend to be smaller in polar forms to minimize heat loss, and larger in tropical and desert equivalents to facilitate heat diffusion, and that the polar taxa are stockier overall. Examples of this rule in birds are rare, as they lack external ears. However, the bill of ducks is very well supplied with blood vessels and is vulnerable to cold.
The size of the Mallard varies clinally, and birds from Greenland, although larger than birds further south, have smaller bills and are stockier. It is sometimes separated as subspecies Greenland Mallard.
-Source: Wikipedia
More Information: All About Birds
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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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
