sighting – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Wood Thrush – 5/9/23

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/9/23 Observation Time: 6:50 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Wood thrush Scientific Name: Hylocichla mustelina Comments: We heard this wood thrush’s melodic “ee-oh-lay” song before we spotted it high in a dead tree. More Information: All About Birds

Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth – 6/25/15

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/25/15 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: field at junction of Lakeview and Morse Streets Common Name: Lesser Maple Spanworm Moth Scientific Name: Speranza pustularia Comments: Note the frond-like antennae of the moth in the photo. Moths typically have larger, more intricate antennae than butterflies. In the United States and Canada, more than 750 species of butterflies and 11,000 species of […]

Little Wood Satyr butterfly – 6/5/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/5/13 Observation Time: noon Observation Location: Gavins Pond area Common Name: Little Wood Satyr butterfly Scientific Name: Megisto cymela Comments: As the name implies, the wood satyr is most commonly seen in woods and shrubby areas. More Information: Wikipedia

American Toad – 6/17/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/17/13 Observation Time: 4:15 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: American Toad Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus More Information: Wikipedia Baby toad nearby:

American Toad – 7/16/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/16/10 Observation Time: 9:55 a.m. Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: American Toad (juvenile) Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus Comments: Note toe of shoe in photo to get an idea of the small size of this toad. More Information: Wikipedia

American Toad – 9/14/09

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/13/09 Observation Time: 2:30 p.m. Observation Location: Bay Circuit Trail near Gorwin Drive Common Name: American Toad Scientific Name: Anaxyrus americanus Comments: Notice how well this toad is camouflaged. More Information: Animal Diversity Web

Small Cabbage White butterfly – 6/25/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/25/11 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond near soccer fields Common Name: Small Cabbage White butterfly Scientific Name: Pieris rapae Comments: The top photo shows a copulating pair. The male has a single black wing spot. The female has two black wing spots, and slightly yellower wings. More Information: Wikipedia

Silver-Spotted Skipper butterfly – 7/13/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/13/13 Observation Time: 10:55 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond area Common Name: Silver-Spotted Skipper butterfly Scientific Name: Epargyreus clarus Comments: Adults perch upside down under leaves at night and on hot or cloudy days. More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America Back to the Sightings List

American Robin (eggs) – 6/2/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/10 Observation Time: 6:05 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: American Robin (eggs) Scientific Name: Turdus migratorius More Information: All About Birds

Red Squirrel – 3/9/11

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 3/9/11 Observation Time: 8:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Red Squirrel Scientific Name: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus More Information: http://www.nhptv.org/Natureworks/Redsquirrel.htm

Question Mark butterfly chrysalis – 7/31/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/31/12 Observation Time: 11:45 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road (bridge near soccer fields) Common Name: Question Mark butterfly chrysalis Scientific Name: Polygonia interrogationis Comments: This is the chrysalis of a Question Mark butterfly. They have a white mark on each wing that looks like a question mark. See photos of an adult Question Mark Butterfly. The root “interrogation” is apparent in the scientific […]

Question Mark butterfly – 6/29/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/29/11 Observation Time: 11:30 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Question Mark butterfly Scientific Name: Polygonia interrogationis Comments: There’s a similar Eastern Comma butterfly that is also found in Sharon. More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America

American White Pelican – 5/30/13

Observer: Vin Zollo Observation Date: 5/30/13 Observation Time: 10:45 a.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: American White Pelican Scientific Name: Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Comments: Originally spotted by Valerie White while canoeing on the lake. This is a rare bird in Massachusetts and a possible first record for Norfolk County. It was there for about a day and a half. Phone-scoped picture. Another photo can be found on […]

Peck’s Skipper butterfly – 7/25/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/25/10 Observation Time: 10:30 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Peck’s Skipper butterfly Scientific Name: Polites peckius Comments: Flies from June through early August on flowers, at roadsides, wet meadows, and in gardens. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polites_peckius More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America

Northern Water Snake (juvenile) – 8/6/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/6/12 Observation Time: 1:10 p.m. Observation Location: outflow pool below Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Northern Water Snake (juvenile) Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: Young northern water snake males are more brightly marked than older ones, which tend to be all black. More Information: Snakes of Massachusetts

Northern Water Snake – 6/12/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/12/13 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Northern Water Snake Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: The older northern water snakes get, the blacker they become. This mature specimen appears to be all black, but the underside is still colorful. Non-venomous northern water snakes are sometimes confused with venomous water moccasins, which live farther south. Even older northern water snakes […]

Northern Water Snake – 5/31/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/12 Observation Time: 8:20 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Northern Water Snake Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: This big water snake was stalking a frog. More Information: http://www.snake-removal.com/northernwatersnake.html It tastes the air with its forked tongue. Its scales have ridges called “keels.” The frog got away.

Northern Water Snake – 8/14/10

Observer: Alex Hackman Observation Date: 8/14/10 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Outlet of Gavins Pond Common Name: Northern Water Snake Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: Lucky to see this water snake slither by while taking stream flow measurements. More Information: Wikipedia

American Hornbeam – 6/4/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/11 Observation Time: 4:20 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Billings Street Common Name: American Hornbeam Scientific Name: Carpinus caroliniana Comments: The common English name hornbeam derives from the hardness of the wood (likened to animal horn) and the Old English beam, meaning “tree” (cognate with German Baum). The American hornbeam is also occasionally known as blue-beech, ironwood, or musclewood, the first […]

Great Blue Heron – 11/11/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 11/11/12 Observation Time: 4:25 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Great Blue Heron Scientific Name: Ardea herodias Comments: These magnificent birds are often seen wading in shallow ponds looking for a meal of fish, frogs, snakes, and even small mammals. More Information: All About Birds

Gray Tree Frog – 10/13/12

Observer: Faith Berkland Observation Date: 10/13/12 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: 302 Mansfield Street Common Name: Gray Tree Frog Scientific Name: Hyla versicolor Comments: In the crux of a spruce that has a divided trunk. But the story is, we just thought it was a toad, however I went to Franklin Park zoo this past Saturday 10/27, and there was a picture of the exact same type of […]

Gray Tree Frog – 7/19/08

Observer: Will Sweet Observation Date: 7/19/08 Observation Time: 9:00 a.m. Observation Location: Back yard garden Common Name: Gray Tree Frog Scientific Name: Hyla versicolor Comments: While watering the garden, this tree frog revealed itself in a bush. More Information: Learn what a gray tree frog call sounds like at: music of nature, so you don’t wrack your brains trying to figure out what kind of bird it […]

Black and Yellow Garden Spider – 9/24/10

Observer: April Forsman Observation Date: 9/24/10 Observation Time: 10:15 a.m. Observation Location: DPW Common Name: Black and Yellow Garden Spider Scientific Name: Argiope aurantia Comments: Males range from 5 to 9 mm; females from 19 to 28 mm. Like other members of Argiope they are considered harmless to humans.The female of the species grows much larger than the male. Females have large rounded bodies that may […]

Black and Yellow Garden Spider – 8/11/09

Observer: Regen Jamieson Observation Date: 8/11/09 Observation Location: Moose Hill in the meadow at the end of the “unnatural trail”. Common Name: Black and Yellow Garden Spider Scientific Name: Argiope aurantia Comments: Males range from 5 to 9 mm; females from 19 to 28 mm. Like other members of Argiope they are considered harmless to humans.The female of the species grows much larger than the male. […]

Dun Skipper – 7/16/11

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 7/16/11 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Dun Skipper Scientific Name: Euphyes vestris More Information: Wisconsin Butterflies

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