Category: Mammal

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/30/12 Observation Time: 6:05 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond area Common Name: Northern Short-tailed Shrew Scientific Name: Blarina brevicauda Comments: This venomous mammal is a highly active insectivore that consumes up to three times its weight daily. I don’t know why this specimen died. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Joe Macri Observation Date: 3/3/14 Observation Time: 5:30 p.m. Observation Location: High Plain St. approx. 200 yards from intersection with Norwood St. Common Name: River Otter Scientific Name: Lontra canadensis Comments: Just at sunset, I observed a large, sinuous animal crossing the road. I only saw it briefly and in silhouette, but was surprised by the size of it. When looking online I narrowed it down to River […]

Observer: Sue Price Observation Date: 2/15/13 Observation Time: 7:30 a.m. Observation Location: Bay Road near Wilshire (going from Sharon to Stoughton) Common Name: River Otter Scientific Name: Lontra canadensis Comments: I think it was a river otter. It was very dark with a long fat tail and moved very quickly – don’t think it was a beaver as it had a long thin body. More Information: Massachusetts Division […]

Observer: Pat Gardner Observation Date: 11/11/12 Observation Time: 6:15 a.m. Observation Location: Shepard’s Pond, Canton Common Name: River Otter Scientific Name: Lontra canadensis Comments: This morning there was only one, but over the past 2 months there’ve been 2. Shepard’s Pond is on the Canton-Sharon border. More Information: Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 11/28/08 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Parkway Common Name: Red Squirrel Scientific Name: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Comments: The red squirrel is known to “tap” maple trees. It bites the bark until sap flows out, and returns later for a sweet treat after the water in the sap has evaporated. More Information: http://www.nhptv.org/Natureworks/Redsquirrel.htm

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/26/13 Observation Time: 4:20 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Red Squirrel Scientific Name: Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Comments: American red squirrels experience severe early mortality (on average only 22% survive to one year of age). The survival probability, however, increases to age three, when it begins to decrease again. Females that survive to one year of age have […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/8/13 Observation Time: 6:08 p.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts Common Name: Muskrat Scientific Name: Ondatra zibethicus Comments: Muskrats are fairly common near water in Sharon. They are native to North America, and related to voles and lemmings, but they are in a different genus from true rats. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/4/11 Observation Time: 1:15 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Groundhog Scientific Name: Marmota monax Comments: This individual probably just emerged from hibernation. More Information: Mass Audubon Society

Observer: Ellenor Yahrmarkt Observation Date: 5/11/09 Observation Location: Borderland State Park Common Name: Red Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: Fox kits in a den under a foundation More Information: Wikipedia: Red Fox & National Geographic

Observer: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 2005 Observation Location: Back yard Common Name: Red Foxes Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: My wife saw the mom walking in our back yard. A few days later, I saw one of the babies standing beside my swimming pool. I thought it was a strange looking cat; and then I thought, dog; and then I thought, fox. He scooted under the stockade fence. […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 10/16/12 Observation Time: 8:55 a.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road (back yard) Common Name: Red Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: This red fox showed up in our back yard. I took these photos out the window. Apart from its large size, the red fox is distinguished from other fox species by its ability to adapt quickly to new environments and, unlike […]

Observer: Andrea & Herb Daroff Observation Date: 7/4/10 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: Pilgrim Drive Common Name: Red Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: The fox was within 10 feet of our house. It spent a good 10 minutes sniffing around (looking for bugs maybe?) This was not the first time we have seen a fox in our yard but this is the first […]

Observer: Alison Siegel Observation Date: 4/17/10 Observation Time: 9:30 a.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag and Lakeview St Common Name: Red Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: A fox was spotted walking from the Massapoag Yacht Club into our backyard. It proceeded across our back lawn to our neighbor’s yard, and then it returned to our sideyard, walked up our front driveway toward Lakeview St, eventually returning in […]

Observer: Alison Siegel Observation Date: 4/13/10 Observation Time: 6:00 a.m. Observation Location: backyard Common Name: Red Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: Fox was spotted walking across our backyard, close to Lake Massapoag. More Information: Animal Diversity Web

Observer: Alison Siegel Observation Date: 3/3/10 Observation Time: 7:30 a.m. Observation Location: Lakeview St. Common Name: Red Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: My sons and I were finishing breakfast and saw a fox walk across our backyard, close to Lake Massapoag. More Information: Animal Diversity Web

Observer: Alison Siegel Observation Date: 1/5/10 Observation Time: 6:00 a.m. Observation Location: Lakeview St. Common Name: Red Fox Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes Comments: A fox was spotted running on the frozen lake early in the morning. More Information: Animal Diversity Web

Observer: Marla Lonergan Observation Date: 6/11/14 Observation Time: 6:00 p.m. Observation Location: 5 Tisdale Road Common Name: Bobcat Scientific Name: Lynx rufus Comments: Second bobcat sighting in Sharon in less than a week. See the NECN report. More Information: Wikipedia  

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/24/10 Observation Time: 8:20 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Gray Fox Scientific Name: Urocyon cinereoargenteus Comments: I saw a small, gray-colored fox with a huge bushy tail at dusk (no photo opportunity). More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: Suzy Levenson Observation Date: 6/7/14 Observation Time: 8:15 a.m. Observation Location: 155 Billings St Common Name: Bobcat Scientific Name: Lynx rufus Comments: The bobcat was calmly sitting in my backyard looking at my housecat who was sitting in a window. There were three snapping turtles in the backyard at the same time. Then the bobcat quietly walked away into the woods. More Information: Wikipedia  

Observer: Brittaney Dunham Observation Date: 5/1/14 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: 16 High Plain St., Sharon Common Name: Coyote Scientific Name: Canis latrans Comments: This bold coyote comes into our back yard pretty regularly. As a result, our dog yard has an 8-foot fence. More Information: Nature Works and Wikipedia

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/20/14 Observation Time: 7:15 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Beaver Scientific Name: Castor canadensis Comments: Beavers are the second-largest living rodents, after capybaras, weighing up to 50 kg (110 lb). They build dams to form ponds in which they then build a lodge to protect themselves from predators. More Information: Wikipedia

Observer: John Wraga Observation Date: 3/2/14 Observation Time: 2:45 p.m. Observation Location: Traphole Brook at High Plain St. Common Name: Mink Scientific Name: Neovison vison Comments: Mink are semi-aquatic. They eat crayfish, small frogs and fish, along with small mammals such as shrews, rabbits, mice, and muskrats. They also prey on ducks and other water fowl. This mink was hit and killed by a vehicle as […]

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/27/13 Observation Time: 1:50 p.m. Observation Location: Sharon train station Common Name: Eastern Cottontail rabbit Scientific Name: Sylvilagus floridanus Comments: The Eastern Cottontail is an introduced species that is now common in Sharon. Much rarer is the native New England Cottontail, which is smaller and has shorter ears and a black spot on its forehead. If is very hard to tell these two […]