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 […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 11/27/20 Observation Time: 12:20 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Rd. (my back yard) Common Name: Tufted Titmouse Scientific Name: Baeolophus bicolor Comments: Tufted titmice are abundant in Sharon. They are often encountered in the company of chickadees. More Information: All About Birds
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 11/27/20 Observation Time: 12:10 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Rd. (my back yard) Common Name: Eastern Gray Squirrel Scientific Name: Sciurus carolinensis Comments: The eastern gray squirrel hoards food in numerous small caches for later recovery. Some caches are quite temporary, especially those made near the site of a sudden abundance of food which can be retrieved within hours or days for […]
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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
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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 […]
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Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 9/9/20 Observation Time: 11:15 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Pickerel Frog Scientific Name: Lithobates palustris Comments: The skin secretions of a stressed pickerel frog are known to be toxic to other frogs, as many a novice frog catcher has found when he finds only the pickerel frogs still alive in his bucket. These secretions can also be […]
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Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 9/9/20 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Goldrenrod Bunch Gall Midge Scientific Name: Rhopalomyia solidaginis Comments: This peculiar insect makes a gall on goldenrod. More Information: iNaturalist
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Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 9/7/2020 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: White-banded Crab Spider Scientific Name: Misumessus formosipes Comments: These spiders (also called flower spiders) can change color to match the flowers they are hunting in. Cool. More Information: iNaturalist
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/4/20 Observation Time: 2:15 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Bee fly Scientific Name: Systropus macer Comments: This fly looks like a wasp. It was feeding on a late purple aster blossom beside the dirt road under the power lines. More Information: Forestry Images and Bugguide.net
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/4/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (under power lines) Common Name: Gray Hairstreak butterfly Scientific Name: Satyrium melinus Comments: This Gray Hairstreak butterfly was feeding on Sweet Everlasting. More Information: Raising Butterflies
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/4/20 Observation Time: 1:10 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Pure Gold-Green Sweat Bee Scientific Name: Augochlora pura Comments: The pure gold-green sweat bee is a solitary sweat bee native to the eastern United States with striking green iridescence. This species is an important native pollinator in eastern deciduous forests and other habitats. It emerges in spring […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/4/20 Observation Time: 1:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Clouded Sulphur butterfly Scientific Name: Colias philodice Comments: A common butterfly seen from late April to mid-October. This patch of blooming Joe Pye weed was alive with clouded sulphurs feeding on the nectar. Note the big green eyes. More Information: Massachusetts Butterfly Club
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/4/20 Observation Time: 12:50 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Praying Mantis Scientific Name: Mantis religiosa Comments: Mantises are the only insects capable of turning their heads from side to side. Being able to turn its head without moving the rest of its body is a key advantage for a mantis when hunting, allowing for minimal movement […]
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Observer: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 8/28/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: near intersection of Beach & Harding Streets Common Name: Gray Catbird Scientific Name: Dumetella carolinensis Comments: Catbirds are one of three mimics in our area. Mockingbirds and Brown Thrashers are the other two. Catbirds repeat sounds just once, whereas Brown Thrashers repeat sounds twice, and Mockingbirds repeat them three or four times before moving on to […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Observer: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 8/22/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: near intersection of Beach & Harding Streets Common Name: Downy Woodpecker Scientific Name: Dryobates pubescens Comments: “Pubescens” refers to its downy hairs of puberty compared to those of the Hairy woodpecker, D. villosus. [The Dictionary of American Bird Names by Ernest A. Choate] Downy woodpeckers look very much like hairy woopeckers, but downy woodpeckers are much smaller than […]
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Observer: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 8/20/20 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: Great Blue Heron Scientific Name: Ardea herodias Comments: 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. Bald eagles can reach 14 lbs. More Information: All About Birds
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/18/20 Observation Time: 11:40 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (formerly the Kendall Estate) Common Name: American Lady butterfly Scientific Name: Vanessa virginiensis Comments: American Lady butterflies look a lot like Painted Lady butterflies. The American Lady has two large spots on the undersides of its trailing wings. The Painted Lady has four smaller spots instead. This Amerian Lady was feeding on a blossom of […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/16/20 Observation Time: 9:50 a.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Rd. Common Name: Porcelain Gray Moth Scientific Name: Protoboarmia porcelaria Comments: This is a type of geometer moth. This individual was resting on my window in the morning. Moths are typically nocturnal. One way to attract moths on a summer night is to hang a white sheet and put a light behind […]
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Observer: Rita Corey Observation Date: 8/13/20 Observation Time: 3:40 p.m. Observation Place: Mountain St. Common Name: Monarch Butterfly caterpillar Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus Comments: This monarch caterpillar was feeding on milkweed. It will soon form a chrysalis. Milkweed is poisonous. Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed to make themselves poisonous to avoid predation. Their bright coloration is a warning to predators. Eating milkweed can sometimes be fatal to the […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/13/20 Observation Time: 3:20 p.m. Observation Location: Mountain St. Common Name: Wood Nymph butterfly Scientific Name: Cercyonis pegala Comments: Despite its name the Wood Nymph butterfly prefers open areas including fields, wet meadows, salt marshes, and bogs. It also inhabits open woods and ventures along well lit woodland trails. More information: Mass Audubon Butterfly Atlas 3
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/13/20 Observation Time: 1:52 p.m. Observation Location: Mountain St. Common Name: Tree Cricket Scientific Name: Oecanthus spp. Comments: The tree cricket is also known as poor man’s thermometer, because if you count the number of chirps in 15 seconds and add 37 you get the temperature close to the Fahrenheit temperature outdoors. More Information: Wikipedia
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Observer: Deborah Radovsky Observation Date: 8/6/20 Observation Time: 7:15 a.m. Observation Location: Rock Ridge Cemetery Common Name: Scarlet Tanager Scientific Name: Piranga olivacea Comments: Scarlet tanagers are coomon in Sharon, but seldom seen. Their woodland habitat obscures them in the leaves. To find them, learn their song and follow your ears as you wlak along trails through the woods. Check out the trail maps on this web […]
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Observer: Deborah Radovsky Observation Date: 8/6/20 Observation Time: 7:00 a.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: Spotted Sandpiper Scientific Name: Actitis macularius Comments: The Spotted Sandpiper is the most widespread breeding sandpiper in North America. Female Spotted Sandpipers sometimes practice an unusual breeding strategy called polyandry, where a female mates with up to four males, each of which then cares for a clutch of eggs. More Information: All About […]
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