Sightings – Birds
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: 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: 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: 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
Observer: Michael Scutari Acciavatti
Observation Date: 12/6/2018
Observation Location: Prescott Pond, Lakwood Drive, Stoughton
Common Name: Osprey
Scientific Name: Pandion haliaetus
Comments: Ospreys can also be seen in Sharon. They are most commonly seen over a lake or pond, where they dive for fish.
More Information: Wikipedia
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/21
Observation Time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation Location: tall cell tower by the composting area at the end of Farnham Road
Common Name: Osprey
Scientific Name: Pandion haliaetus
Comments: A pair of ospreys built a nest atop the tall cell tower by the composting area at the end of Farnham Road.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/12/16
Observation Time: 7:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Center
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: Ovenbirds are in the warbler family. Their insistent “teacher, teacher, teacher” call is one of the most commonly heard birdsongs in the woods around Sharon. They are called ovenbirds because their nests, which are built on the ground, resemble little ovens.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/13/19
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: This is one of the most common birds in the woods at Moose Hill. Learn to recognize its song, an insistent, piercing ‘tea-Cher, tea-Cher, tea-CHER, Tea-CHER, TEA-CHER’, and you will be able to find them.
Ovenbirds are warblers. Their name comes from the mounded nest they build on the ground, which resembles an oven.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 5/14/23
Observation Time: 12:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Parkway
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: This is one of the most common birds in the woods at Moose Hill. Learn to recognize its song, an insistent, piercing ‘tea-Cher, tea-Cher, tea-CHER, Tea-CHER, TEA-CHER’, and you will be able to find them.
Ovenbirds are warblers. Their name comes from the mounded nest they build on the ground, which resembles an oven.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/15/23
Observation Time: 10:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: This is one of the most common birds in the woods at Moose Hill. Learn to recognize its song, an insistent, piercing ‘tea-Cher, tea-Cher, tea-CHER, Tea-CHER, TEA-CHER’, and you will be able to find them.
Ovenbirds are warblers. Their name comes from the mounded nest they build on the ground, which resembles an oven.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/16/14
Observation Time: 6:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: The ovenbird’s rapid-fire “teacher-teacher-teacher” song rings out in summer hardwood forests from the Mid-Atlantic states to northeastern British Columbia. It’s so loud that it may come as a surprise to find this inconspicuous warbler strutting like a tiny rooster across the dim forest floor. Its olive-brown back and spotted breast are excellent disguise as it gleans invertebrates from the leaf litter. Its nest, a leaf-covered dome resembling an old-fashioned outdoor oven, gives the ovenbird its name.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/16
Observation Time: 11:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Center
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: Ovenbirds are in the warbler family. Their insistent “teacher, teacher, teacher” call is one of the most commonly heard birdsongs in the woods around Sharon. They are called ovenbirds because their nests, which are built on the ground, resemble little ovens.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/30/15
Observation Time: 1:00 p.m.
Observation Location: woods beyond Everett Street
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: Ovenbirds are in the warbler family. Their insistent “teacher, teacher, teacher” call is one of the most commonly heard birdsongs in the woods around Sharon. They are called ovenbirds because their nests, which are built on the ground, resemble little ovens.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Jason Platt
Observation Date: 5/8/18
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: The ovenbird’s rapid-fire “teacher-teacher-teacher” song rings out in summer hardwood forests from the Mid-Atlantic states to northeastern British Columbia. It’s so loud that it may come as a surprise to find this inconspicuous warbler strutting like a tiny rooster across the dim forest floor. Its olive-brown back and spotted breast are excellent disguise as it gleans invertebrates from the leaf litter. Its nest, a leaf-covered dome resembling an old-fashioned outdoor oven, gives the ovenbird its name.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/8/19
Observation Time: 11:13 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Ovenbird
Scientific Name: Seiurus aurocapilla
Comments: This is one of the most common birds in the woods at Moose Hill. Learn to recognize its song, an insistent and loud ‘tea-Cher, tea-Cher, tea-CHER, Tea-CHER, TEA-CHER’, and you will be able to find them.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/3/20
Observation Time: 6:51 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (Billings Loop)
Common Name: Palm Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga palmarum
Comments: Palm warblers pass through Sharon in late April and early May on their northward migration. They sometimes mingle with other species of warblers.
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: 5/3/20
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: pine woods by Gavins Pond
Common Name: Palm Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga palmarum
Comments: Palm warblers pass through Sharon in late April and early May on their northward migration. They sometimes mingle with other species of warblers. This one was in the company of a yellow-rumped warbler and a black-and-white warbler.
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: 5/7/23
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Palm Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga palmarum
Comments: Palm warblers pass through Sharon in late April and early May on their northward migration. They sometimes mingle with other species of warblers. This one was in the company of a northern parula warbler and a black-and-white warbler.
You can monitor the bird migration in spring by keeping an eye on the live radar map at: http://birdcast.info/live-migration-maps/
An app called Merlin is very helpful for finding out what species of birds are singing nearby.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/9/23
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Palm Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga palmarum
Comments: Palm warblers pass through Sharon in late April and early May on their northward migration. May 9 is near the end of the time during which palm warblers can be seen in Sharon.
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: Colin Barbera
Observation Date: 12/11/21
Observation Time: afternoon
Observation Location: Tolman St.
Common Name: Peregrine falcon
Scientific Name: Falco peregrinus
Comments: “Powerful and fast-flying, the Peregrine Falcon hunts medium-sized birds, dropping down on them from high above in a spectacular stoop. They were virtually eradicated from eastern North America by pesticide poisoning in the middle 20th century. After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine Falcons have made an incredible rebound and are now regularly seen in many large cities and coastal areas.”
– from: All About Birds
(Thank you, Rachel Carson, for ending the use of DDT!)
More Information: All About Birds and Audubon
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/14/14
Observation Time: 2:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Phoebe
Scientific Name: Sayornis phoebe
Comments: The song of the Phoebe sounds like its name. You can find and play bird songs online. The more bird calls you memorize, the more bird species you will be able to identify in the field, where the birds themselves are often concealed by foliage.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Jason Platt
Observation Date: 5/8/18
Observation Time: 8:15 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Phoebe
Scientific Name: Sayornis phoebe
Comments: One of our most familiar eastern flycatchers, the Eastern Phoebe’s raspy “phoebe” call is a frequent sound around yards and farms in spring and summer.
More Information: All About Birds.org
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/8/23
Observation Time: 11:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Phoebe
Scientific Name: Sayornis phoebe
Comments: Phoebes are members of the flycatcher family. The song of the Phoebe sounds like its name. You can find and play bird songs online. The more bird calls you memorize, the more bird species you will be able to identify in the field, where the birds themselves are often concealed by foliage.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 8/1/10
Observation Time: 7:50 p.m.
Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road soccer field
Common Name: Phoebe
Scientific Name: Sayornis phoebe
Comments: Phoebes are flycatchers.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Faith Berkland
Observation Date: 10/24/20
Observation Time: 3:55 p.m.
Observation Location: 302-296 Mansfield St., Sharon
Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
Comments: Unfortunately I did not get a picture. However, this was very recognizable for the loud call, the large white spot under its wings when it flew from tree to tree and its pointy crest. I only briefly made out the coloring of its crest but unmistakable nonetheless. Much larger than the other woodpeckers in the area, flickers, red bellies, downy, hairy etc.
More Information: Audubon Guide to N. American Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 2/25/20
Observation Time: 1:10 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
Comments: I spotted this magnificent, large, red-crested woodpecker behind the barn on the Billings Loop. You will improve your chances of sighting one of these birds by learning their calls and the sound of their drumming, which is different from that of other smaller woodpeckers.
More Information: Audubon Guide to N. American Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/27/18
Observation Time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
Comments: This large woodpecker (about the size of a crow) was peeling bark off a tree to get at the bugs underneath. Its tongue is visible in the last photo below.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/19
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
Comments: I found this bird by following the sound of its hammering. It was in the exact same location as it was on May 7, 2019. Shortly after I took this photo, I saw it mate with another pileated woodpecker.
More Information: Audubon Guide to N. American Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/17/23
Observation Time: 8:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
Comments: I heard this magnificent, large, red-crested woodpecker before I saw it near a dead tree where it had hollowed out a nesting cavity. I watched and photographed it as it made its way to the nest, went in, and then re-emerged.
You will improve your chances of sighting one of these birds by learning their calls and the sound of their drumming, which is different from that of other smaller woodpeckers.
More Information: Audubon Guide to N. American Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/7/19
Observation Time: 7:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
Comments: This magnificent crow-sized bird was the inspiration for the cartoon character Woody Woodpecker. Unfortunately, its cousin, the ivory-billed woodpecker, has gone extinct.
More Information: Audubon Guide to N. American Birds
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 5/9/23
Observation Time: 8:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus
Comments: You will improve your chances of sighting one of these magnificent birds by learning their calls and the sound of their drumming, which is different from that of other smaller woodpeckers.
You can use a cell phone app called Merlin to detect and identify nearby birds. It’s a great way to learn bird songs.
More Information: Audubon Guide to N. American Birds
Observer: Will Sweet
Observation Date: 1/11/09
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Backyard bird feeder
Common Name: Pine Siskin
Scientific Name: Carduelis pinus
Comments: There was a flock of 43 Pine Siskins on my thistle feeders.
More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 12/15/18
Observation Time: morning
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (near feeders)
Common Name: Pine Siskin
Scientific Name: Spinus pinus
Comments: Every couple of years, Pine Siskins make unpredictable movements called irruptions into southern and eastern North America. Though they’re erratic, these movements may not be entirely random. Banding data suggest that some birds may fly west-east across the continent while others move north-south.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/23
Observation Time: 9:55 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (near Billings Loop barn)
Common Name: Pine Siskin
Scientific Name: Spinus pinus
Comments: Every couple of years, Pine Siskins make unpredictable movements called irruptions into southern and eastern North America. Though they’re erratic, these movements may not be entirely random. Banding data suggest that some birds may fly west-east across the continent while others move north-south.
Pine siskins are typically found in Sharon in winter. This pair was late heading north for summer.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 12/30/20
Observation Time: 1:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill area
Common Name: Pine Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus
Comments: Pine warblers are typically found in pine groves. Many warbler species migrate through Sharon in May on their way to nesting areas farther north, but pine warblers nest here in Sharon, and can be found here all summer. Although they typically migrate south in winter, some of them stick around in Massachusetts through the winter.
More Information: Mass Audubon
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 4/25/23
Observation Time: 8:30 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Pine Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus
Comments: Pine warblers are typically found in pine groves. Many warbler species migrate through Sharon in May on their way to nesting areas farther north, but pine warblers nest here in Sharon, and can be found here all summer. Although they typically migrate south in winter, some of them stick around in Massachusetts through the winter.
The trilling call of the pine warbler can be hard to distinguish from that of a chipping sparrow.
More Information: Mass Audubon
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/2/20
Observation Time: 1:00 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road (my back yard)
Common Name: Pine Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus
Comments: Pine warblers are typically found in pine groves. Many warbler species migrate through Sharon in May on their way to nesting areas farther north, but pine warblers nest here in Sharon, and can be found here all summer.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: May 24, 2015
Observation Time: 5:20 p.m.
Observation Location: along Beaver Brook near the train station
Common Name: Pine Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus
Comments: Notice that this pine warbler is in a pine tree. Many warbler species migrate through Sharon in May on their way to nesting areas farther north, but pine warblers nest here in Sharon, and can be found in summer.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: May 27, 2019
Observation Time: 1:55 p.m.
Observation Location: Conservation land near Morse & Lakeview
Common Name: Pine Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus
Comments: Pine warblers nest here in Sharon, and can be found in pine woods in summer. The song of the pine warbler is hard to distinguish from the song of the chipping sparrow – unless you are a pine warbler!
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/31/14
Observation Time: 5:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Trail through woods beside Gavins Pond
Common Name: Pine warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus
Comments: The song of the pine warbler is hard to distinguish from the reedy trill of a chipping sparrow.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/11/20
Observation Time: 10:50 a.m.
Observation Location: under the power lines across the street from the Gavins Pond soccer fields
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Prairie warblers are found in scrubby fields and forest edges throughout the eastern and south-central United States. Unlike many other warblers that migrate through Sharon in spring and fall, the prairie warbler hangs around all summer. You can find them in brushy areas under power lines, especially if you learn to recognize their ascending trill. This habitat is also good for indigo buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 5/12/18
Observation Time: 9:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR), Powerline Trail
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: The Prairie Warbler is found in scrubby fields and forests throughout the eastern and south-central United States, not on the prairies. Unlike many other warblers that migrate through Sharon in spring and fall, the Prairie Warbler hangs around all summer.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/18/20
Observation Time: 10:25 a.m.
Observation Location: under the power lines across the street from the Gavins Pond soccer fields
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Prairie warblers are found in scrubby fields and forest edges throughout the eastern and south-central United States. Unlike many other warblers that migrate through Sharon in spring and fall, the prairie warbler hangs around all summer. You can find them in brushy areas under power lines, especially if you learn to recognize their ascending trill. This habitat is also good for indigo buntings.
Note the reddish patch on its back.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/22/15
Observation Time: 4:20 p.m.
Observation Location: near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophagia discolor
Comments: Prairie warblers can be found in unforested areas such as those under the high-tension lines. I encountered this one in a field near Gavins Pond. If you learn to recognize their song, you will find them much easier.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/23/14
Observation Time: 5:15 p.m.
Observation Location: field near Gavins Pond dam
Common Name: Prairie warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Prairie warblers are typically found in open fields and under power lines. Listen for their ascending trill.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/28/23
Observation Time: 11:50 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) – under the power lines
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Prairie warblers are found in scrubby fields and forest edges throughout the eastern and south-central United States. Unlike many other warblers that migrate through Sharon in spring and fall, the prairie warbler nests in Sharon and hangs around all summer. You can find them in brushy areas under power lines, especially if you learn to recognize their ascending trill. This habitat is also good for indigo buntings.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/6/15
Observation Time: 3:25 p.m.
Observation Location: field near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: This striking yellow and black warbler has a high-pitched trill that ascends. It can be seen in open fields and under power lines all summer in Sharon.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Jason Platt
Observation Date: 5/8/18
Observation Time: 8:30 a.m.
Observation Location: under power lines at Moose Hill
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: This striking yellow and black warbler has a high-pitched trill that ascends. It can be seen in open fields and under power lines all summer in Sharon.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/17/13
Observation Time: 4:30 p.m.
Observation Location: field near Gavins Pond
Common Name: Prairie warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Prairie warblers are not hard to find in fields and cleared areas under high tension lines in Sharon from May to August. Listen for their ascending trill.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 6/2/19
Observation Time: 1:20 p.m.
Observation Location: on the bluff beneath the power lines that parallel So. Walpole St.
Common Name: Prairie Warbler
Scientific Name: Setophaga discolor
Comments: Prairie warblers are found in scrubby fields and forests throughout the eastern and south-central United States, not on the prairies. Unlike many other warblers that migrate through Sharon in spring and fall, the Prairie Warbler hangs around all summer. You can find them in brushy areas under power lines, especially if you learn to recognize their ascending trill.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 6/25/11
Observation Time: 1:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill area
Common Name: Purple Finch
Scientific Name: Carpodacus purpureus
Comments: Probably decreased in Northeast in late 19th century after introduction of House Sparrow. In recent decades has declined further in that area, possibly owing to competition with House Finch.
More Information: audubon.org or All About Birds
Observer: Rebecca Hickman
Observation Date: 7/17/12
Observation Time: n/a
Observation Location: Back yard
Common Name: Rabbit, Hawk, and Turkeys
Scientific Name: n/a
Comments: This past week, beginning last weekend, has been like watching an episode of National Geograhpic in my back yard. I’m exaggerating, but not by much..
I enjoy watching the little bunny that has taken up residency under our shed in our back yard.. I’m outside a lot, and I see him munching clover all the time.
Sunday morning I was outside having my morning cup of joe, and watching the bunny hop around on the freshly mowed lawn. Just then, what I’m assuming was a hawk came and snatched him. It happened so suddenly! At first I gasped and weakly yelled “no!” as the big bird of prey flew off with the fluffy guy. The area beyond our back yard is heavily wooded, and the trees are very tall so much of the aerial view is obscured by them and I didn’t see much more. I would have known it was a hawk with more certainty if I saw it flying more. My only good view of him was by the back of his wings when he came down, and took off. It was sad to see the bunny go, but mostly it was an amazing thing to see and I’m glad I got too see such a moment in person.
Then, yesterday I went outside to grill some hot dogs and there were two big turkeys in the yard. I grabbed my toddler and brought him out for a peek, but I knew to stay close to the safety of the door. I know from past experience that turkeys can be aggressive. The experience was when my curiousity brought me close to a pack of turkeys while I was driving in Scituate. The turkeys charged and gobble- gobbled and attacked the tires of our mini van. I was so startled that I told my husband to lock the doors. I started laughing at the silliness of my reaction, but when I saw that he actually DID lock his door, I laughed even more.
Observer: Vin Zollo
Observation Date: 11/30/18
Observation Time: morning
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Red Crossbill
Scientific Name: Loxia curvirostra
Comments: The Red Crossbill is so dependent upon conifer seeds it even feeds them to its young. Consequently, it can breed any time it finds a sufficiently large cone crop, even in the depths of winter. A flock of about 20 red crossbills has been repeatedly sighted at Moose Hill through the winter of 2018-2019 until at least May 21, 2019.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 4/4/21
Observation Time: 3:45 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill
Common Name: Red Crossbill
Scientific Name: Loxia curvirostra
Comments: I wish I could claim some special birding or photography skill but three red crossbills flew literally right over my head and into a tree a few feet above me, and then jumped over to a nearby branch to get some water. There is something to be said for being in the right place at the right time, I guess.
Red crossbills use their peculiar curved bills to break into unopened pine cones, giving them an advantage over other finch species. Because conifers produce seeds unpredictably, Red Crossbills sometimes wander (or “irrupt”) far beyond their usual range. They nest wherever and whenever they find abundant food, sometimes even in winter.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 2/9/11
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill area
Common Name: Red-bellied Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus
Comments: These birds have extended their breeding range north over the last 100 years.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 3/8/14
Observation Time: 11:10 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Red-bellied Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus
Comments: Red-bellied woodpeckers are often victims of European starlings. As many as half of all red-bellied woodpecker nests in some areas get invaded by starlings.
More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/13/16
Observation Time: 9:35 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Red-bellied Woodpecker
Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus
Comments: Primarily a bird of the southeast, where its rolling calls are familiar sounds in swamps and riverside woods. Omnivorous and adaptable, this woodpecker has also adjusted to life in suburbs and city parks, and in recent years it has been expanding its range to the north. Despite the name, the faint traces of red on the belly are not often visible in the field.
Red-bellied woodpeckers are often victims of European starlings. As many as half of all red-bellied woodpecker nests in some areas get invaded by starlings.
More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 5/21/20
Observation Time: 6:30 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill area
Common Name: Red-bellied woodpecker
Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus
Comments: Massachusetts is at the northern edge of the range for this species (as implied by its scientific name, Melanerpes carolinus), but they are becoming more common around here as a result of the warming climate.
Red-bellied woodpeckers make a very distinctivekwirr call. Learn to recognize it, and you will notice them often around Sharon.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/8/19
Observation Time: 10:20 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Red-bellied woodpecker
Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus
Comments: I kept hearing their distinctive kwirr call in a certain area, so I investigated. When I finally spotted them, I saw they were nesting in a cavity high in a dead tree.
Sharon is at the northern edge of the red-bellied woodpecker’s range. It is a year-round resident.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Deborah Radovsky
Observation Date: 12/3/18
Observation Time: 9:10 a.m.
Observation Location: on trail in woods, near Sharon dog park
Common Name: Red-breasted Nuthatch
Scientific Name: Sitta canadensis
Comments: There have been flocks of these for weeks in these woods, more than I have ever observed over many years, possibly due to plentiful food sources. Note that the population of red-breasted nuthatches is shifting northward, according to the National Audubon Society. See: http://climate.audubon.org/birds/rebnut/red-breasted-nuthatch
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Josh Simons
Observation Date: 2/24/13
Observation Time: 3:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill area
Common Name: Red-breasted Nuthatch
Scientific Name: Sitta canadensis
Comments: Small photo due to heavy cropping.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/6/18
Observation Time: 6:00 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Red-breasted Nuthatch
Scientific Name: Sitta canadensis
Comments: This red-breasted nuthatch was visiting the bird feeder.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/29/14
Observation Time: 10:00 a.m.
Observation Location: King Phillip’s Rock trail
Common Name: Red-eyed vireo
Scientific Name: Vireo olivaceus
Comments: Red-eyed vireos sing all day long. Their song sounds like “Here I am. Where are you?” That is fitting, as they are very hard to see in the foliage.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 5/30/20
Observation Time: 1:40 p.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR)
Common Name: Red-eyed Vireo
Scientific Name: Vireo olivaceus
Comments: Red-eyed vireos are a common summer resident in Sharon. They sing all day long. Since they are notoriously hard to spot in the canopy, the mnemonic for their song is, “Here I am. Where are you?” Hear a recording at: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-eyed_Vireo/sounds. Note that all vireo species’ songs have a similar cadence.
More Information: All About Birds
This pair of red-eyed vireos was gathering nesting materials and building a nest:
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 7/5/16
Observation Time: 10:40 a.m.
Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary
Common Name: Red-eyed Vireo
Scientific Name: Vireo olivaceus
Comments: Red-eyed vireos are a common summer resident in Sharon. They sing all day long. Since they are notoriously hard to spot in the canopy, the mnemonic for their song is, “Here I am. Where are you?” Hear a recording at: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-eyed_Vireo/sounds
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Richard Kramer
Observation Date: 2/11/19
Observation Time: 10:30 a.m.
Observation Location: west side of Lake Massapoag near the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp
Common Name: Red-shouldered Hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus
Comments: One of the best ways to find Red-shouldered Hawks is to learn their distinctive whistle. Listen for these birds in and around wet forests, where you may find them hunting from a perch along stream or pond.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Will Sweet
Observation Date: 2/18/09
Observation Time: 11:45 a.m.
Observation Location: Sharon Community Gardens
Common Name: Red-shouldered hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus
Comments: The hawk was perched in a large dead tree. It flew across the gardens many times spooking robins and starlings.
More Information: Whatbird.com: Red-shouldered Hawk
Observer: Paul Lauenstein
Observation Date: 3/9/14
Observation Time: 2:40 p.m.
Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road
Common Name: Red-shouldered hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus
Comments: As I sat at my desk talking on the phone, this hawk swooped in and landed on a branch outside my window. I grabbed my camera with my free hand and snapped this shot. I got help with the identification from my friend John Baur.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Deb Radovsky
Observation Date: 4/9/18
Observation Time: evening
Observation Location: Cottage and Ames Streets
Common Name: Red-shouldered Hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus
Comments: Although the American Crow often mobs the Red-shouldered Hawk, sometimes the relationship is not so one-sided. They may chase each other and try to steal food from each other. They may also both attack a Great Horned Owl and join forces to chase the owl out of the hawk’s territory.
More Information: All About Birds
Observer: Andrea & Herb Daroff
Observation Date: 5/15/08
Observation Time: 11:00 a.m.
Observation Location: Pilgrim Drive
Common Name: Red-shouldered hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus
Comments: This young hawk settled in a branch not more than 20 feet from our deck. I was able to get a number of shots and since he moved around a bit before flying away, I was able to shoot from different angles. We have seen him again in the yard but never again has he perched so conveniently, so cooperatively or so close.
More Information: Whatbird.com: Red-shouldered Hawk
Observer: Ilan Fisher
Observation Date: 4/3/19
Observation Time: 2:00 PM
Observation Location: Junction of E. Foxboro St. & Harding St.
Common Name: Red-tailed Hawk
Scientific Name: Buteo jamaicensis
Comments: Red-tails are big, but they only weigh a maximum of about 3 lbs. They can live up to 30 years. They feed predominantly on small mammals.
More Information: All About Birds
