Category: Bird

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/29/26 Observation Time: 10 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Wild Turkey Scientific Name: Meleagris gallopavo Comments: Wild turkeys are often seen near the headquarters building of the Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary. They glean bird seed that spills from the bird feeders onto the ground. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/28/26 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations Common Name: Field Sparrow Scientific Name: Spizella pusilla Comments: Field sparrows have a relatively long tail, a thin white eye ring, and a distinctive pinkish conical bill. They have a gray face and a rust-colored cap. However, the best way to tell them apart from other sparrows […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/28/26 Observation Time: 10:15 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations) Common Name: Blue-winged Warbler Scientific Name: Vermivora cyanoptera Comments:  The blue-winged warbler’s song sounds like, “bee-buzz.” Note its distinctive black eye line. I found this one in the scrubby habitat under the high tension lines near Moose Hill Farm. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/28/26 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations) 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, prairie warblers nest in Sharon and stay around all […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/28/26 Observation Time: 9:10 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations) 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 was very far away so I could not get a good photo. Later I saw it hovering above the […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/28/26 Observation Time: 8:40 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Blue Jay Scientific Name: Cyanocitta cristata Comments: Blue jays are common in Sharon. They eat insects, nuts and seeds. They will also eat the eggs and nestlings of other birds if they get the chance. This pair was taking advantage of the suet feeder at Moose […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/27/26 Observation Time: 10:30 a.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook Trail near train station Common Name: Pine Warbler Scientific Name: Setophaga pinus Comments: Pine warblers are typically found in pine groves. Many warbler species migrate through Sharon in late April and May on their way to nesting areas farther north, but pine warblers nest here in Sharon, and can be found in […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/24/26 Observation Time: 10:35 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Redwing blackbird Scientific Name: Agelaius phoeniceus Comments: Redwing blackbirds are typically found near water, but this one was feeding at a bird feeder. Only the males have bright red and yellow epaulets on their wings. More Information: All about Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/24/26 Observation Time: 10:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Tufted Titmouse Scientific Name: Baeolophus bicolor Comments: Tufted titmice are abundant in the woods in Sharon. They are often encountered in the company of chickadees. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/24/26 Observation Time: 8:50 am Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Ruby-crowned Kinglet Scientific Name: Corthylio calendula Comments: Ruby-crowned kinglets are tiny – even smaller than chickadees. They migrate through Sharon in spring en route to nesting areas in northern New England and Canada. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/23/26 Observation Time: 7:15 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Eastern Bluebird Scientific Name: Sialia sialis Comments: In 1972, DDT was banned (note that bluebirds eat insects), and in 1973, Congress passed the Endangered Species Act. Bluebirds were listed as a Species of Special Concern in several states. In 1973, the Camp Fire Girls began Project Save […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/21/26 Observation Time: 8:45 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. This one was foraging for insects on the ground.You can monitor the bird migration in […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/21/26 Observation Time: 8:15 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (Billings Loop barn) 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 […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Obervation Date: 4/21/26 Observation Time: 8:10 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Broad-winged hawk Scientific Name: Buteo platypterus Comments: A small, stocky raptor with black-and-white bands on the tail, the Broad-winged Hawk is a bird of the forest interior and can be hard to see during the nesting season. Its call is a piercing, two-parted whistle. Its relatively […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/21/26 Observation Time: 7:00 am Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Tree Swallow Scientific Name: Tachycineta bicolor Comments: Tree swallows compete with bluebirds for nesting boxes. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/20/26 Observation Time: 7:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Blue-headed Vireo Scientific Name: Vireo solitarius Comments: Blue-headed vireos arrive in Sharon in late April along with the first wave of woodland warblers. Note the white “spectacles” around its eyes. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/18/26 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Hermit Thrush Scientific Name: Catharus guttatus Comments: You can tell it’s a hermit thrush and not a wood thrush by the rusty red color of its tail. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/21/25 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Eastern Bluebird Scientific Name: Sialia sialis Comments: This male bluebird perched on a fence post by the road through the big pastures. More Information: All About Birds

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/21/25 Observation Time: 4:40 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Eastern Wood-Pewee Scientific Name: Contopus virens Comments: The unmistakable song of the wood-pewee (“pee-a-wee”) sounds like its name. It’s a member of the flycatcher family that is typically found in or near forested areas. I heard and then saw this one in the woods. You can find […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/21/25 Observation Time: 4:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) under the power lines 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 […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/21/25 Observation Time: 3:50 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) 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, prairie warblers nest in Sharon and stay around all summer. You can […]

Observer: Judy Karlin Observation Date: 6/15/25 Observation Time: 1:10 p.m. Observation Location: Mattakesett Circle Common Name: Great Blue Heron Scientific Name: Ardea herodias Comments: I sighted this heron in my front yard. What a surprise! Adult great blue herons weigh about 5 lbs. They weigh more than great horned owls, which weigh about 3 lbs., but they are not the largest bird found in Sharon. […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/18/25 Observation Time: 10:15 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Black-and-white warbler Scientific Name: Mniotilta varia Comments: Black and white warblers make a high-pitched squeaking sound like a turning wheel that needs to be oiled. They are most often found scurrying up and down tree trunks and branches looking under the bark for insect larvae. The parallel stripes […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/18/25 Observation Time: 8:40 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Cedar Waxwing Scientific Name: Bombycilla cedrorum Comments: These striking birds are typically seen in groups. Their tails look as if they were dipped in yellow paint. More Information: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Cedar_Waxwing/id

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/17/25 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Red-breasted Nuthatch Scientific Name: Sitta canadensis Comments: The Red-breasted Nuthatch collects resin globules from coniferous trees and plasters them around the entrance of its nest hole. It may carry the resin in its bill or on pieces of bark that it uses as an applicator. The […]