Sightings – Birds

Observer: Will Sweet

Observation Date: 2/22/09

Observation Time: 9:30 a.m.

Observation Location: Ward’s Fields

Common Name: Greater White-fronted Goose

Scientific Name: Anser albifrons

Comments: The Greater White-fronted Goose I saw was with about 180 Canada Geese. This is at least the second individual this winter. The other one was seen from November to mid December

More Information: All About Birds: Greater White-fronted Goose

Observer: Keevin Geller

Observation Date: 8/5/13

Observation Time: 5:00 p.m.

Observation Location: Saw Mill Pond, Sharon

Common Name: Green Heron

Scientific Name: Butorides virescens

Comments: Green Herons are common breeders in coastal and inland wetlands. They nest along swamps, marshes, lakes, ponds, impoundments, and other wet habitats with trees and shrubs to provide secluded nest sites. They may even nest in dry woods and orchards as long as there is water nearby for foraging. Green Herons spend the winter in southern coastal areas of their range, and in marine and freshwater habitat throughout Mexico and Central America.

More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”

Green Heron

Observer: Paul Lauenstein

Observation Date: 5/13/19

Observation Time: 11:00 a.m.

Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

Common Name: Hairy Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Picoides villosus

Comments: Hairy woodpeckers look like downy woodpeckers, but they are larger. This one worked for hours to hollow out a hole for nesting high up in a dead tree. Woodpecker species can be differentiated by the drumming sound they make, as well as their calls.

More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein

Observation Date: 7/6/10

Observation Time: 8:50 a.m.

Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road

Common Name: Hairy Woodpecker

Scientific Name: Picoides villosus

Comments: Hairy woodpeckers look like downy woodpeckers, but they are larger.

More Information: All About Birds

Hairy Woodpecker

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

Hooded Merganser

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

Hooded Merganser (male)

Hooded Merganser (male)

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

House Finch

House Finch

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

Indigo Bunting

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

Indigo Bunting

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

The call could be a distress call. Perhaps mom is looking for her chicks, or perhaps this is a juvenile looking for its mom. Or perhaps its calling for its mate. It did not fly, but it showed no visible sign of injury. It’s been calling in the area for a few days.

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

Kestrel

Kestrel

Kestrel

Kestrel

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

Killdeer

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

Lincoln's Sparrow

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

Magnolia Warbler

Magnolia Warbler

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

Mallard

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

Mourning Dove

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

Muscovy Duck

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

Mute Swans

Mute Swans

Mute Swans

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

Cardinal

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

Northern Cardinal

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”

Flicker

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”

Flicker

Flicker

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

Flicker

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”

Flicker Fledgling

Flicker Fledgling

Flicker Fledgling

Flicker Fledgling

Flicker Fledgling

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