Sharon Friends of Conservation
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/14/09 Observation Time: morning Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm, Trustees of Reservations land Common Name: Black Racer Scientific Name: Coluber constrictor Comments: Photos taken on Sunday, 6/14/09 at SFOC’s Biodiversity Day event at Trustees of Reservations on Moose Hill. More Information: UMass Amherst Natural Resources & Environmental Conservation
Read moreObserver: Rick Dumont Observation Date: 5/21/09 Observation Time: 9:00 a.m. Observation Location: Belcher St. Common Name: Raccoon Scientific Name: Procyon lotor Comments: The raccoon is mostly nocturnal. It is also solitary, except for mothers and their young. In the winter the raccoon may sleep in its den for a few weeks but it does not hibernate. The raccoons usually walks, but it can run at speeds […]
Read moreObserver: Rick Dumont Observation Date: 5/21/09 Observation Time: 8:30 a.m. Observation Location: Massapoag Sportsmen’s Club, Belcher St. Common Name: Green Frog Scientific Name: Lithobates clamitans Comments: This is one of our most familiar frogs and is found statewide. It has a green face and a green-brown body, and a ridge running down each of its sides. This species prefers permanent or semipermanent water bodies, eating whatever […]
Read moreObserver: Alison Siegel Observation Date: 5/20/09 Observation Time: 7:05 a.m. Observation Location: Lakeview Street Common Name: Coyote Scientific Name: Canis latrans Comments: At 7 AM on the mornings of 5/20 and 5/21 a single coyote was observed walking in our backyard. More Information: Nature Works
Read moreObserver: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 5/1/09 Observation Location: Beside the school admin building on School St. Common Name: Wood Duck Scientific Name: Aix sponsa Comments: Yes, these ducks actually roost in trees! They nest in cavities in large trees. More Information: All About Birds.org
Read moreObserver: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/25/09 Observation time: 1:05 p.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook, Sharon (downstream of the wooden foot bridge near the tennis courts) Common Name: White Sucker Scientific Name: Catostomus commersoni Comments: White suckers in spawning frenzy in Beaver Brook, 4/25/09. Note the red stripes and erect dorsal fins. Suckers typically spawn for a few days sometime between April 15 and April 30. […]
Read moreObserver: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/25/09 Observation Time: 11:05 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Eastern Bluebird Scientific Name: Sialia sialis Comments: Female (above) and male (below) More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Read moreObserver: 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: […]
Read moreObserver: Liz Dichiara Observation Date: 3/21/09 Observation Time: 5:45 p.m. Observation Location: Cheryl Drive Common Name: Wild Turkeys Scientific Name: Meleagris gallopavo Comments: Two beautiful males and five females walked through my wooded backyard today. The males were displaying to the females, who did not appear impressed. More Information: All About Birds: Wild Turkey
Read moreObserver: 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”
Read moreObserver: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 3/19/09 Observation Time: 4:00 p.m. Observation Location: Gavin’s Pond Common Name: Ring-necked Duck Scientific Name: Aythya collaris Comments: I saw ring-necked ducks last spring at Gavins Pond. They must use Gavins Pond to rest and feed during their migration. More Information: All About Birds: Ring-necked Duck
Read moreObserver: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 2/24/09 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: Bald Eagle Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus More Information: All About Birds: Bald Eagle
Read moreObserver: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 2/18/09 Observation Time: Early afternoon Observation Location: Lake Massapoag across from Arboro Drive Common Name: Bald Eagle & Deer Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus Comments: A young bald eagle feeds on a deer carcass on the ice. More Information: All About Birds: Bald Eagle
Read moreObserver: Will Sweet Observation Date: 2/18/09 Observation Time: 11:45 a.m. Observation Location: Sharon Community Gardens Common Name: Red-shouldered hawk Scientific Name: Buteo lineatus Comments: The hawk was perched in a large dead tree. It flew across the gardens many times spooking robins and starlings. More Information: Whatbird.com: Red-shouldered Hawk
Read moreObserver: Will Sweet Observation Date: 2/15/09 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Backyard Common Name: Black-capped Chickadee Scientific Name: Poecile atricapillus Comments: The chickadees were knocking the Pine Siskins off of the thistle feeders. More Information: Whatbird.com
Read moreObserver: Michael Tranavitch Observation Date: 2/13/09 Observation Time: 2:45 p.m. Observation Location: Pine Street, Sharon Common Name: Fisher Scientific Name: Martes pennanti Comments: Appeared in backyard near deck. The fisher is the second largest member of the weasel family found in Massachusetts; only the river otter is larger. Although many people call them “fisher cats,” the name is inappropriate. They are neither members of the feline […]
Read moreObserver: Jeff Tatro Observation Date: 1/19/09 Observation Time: 4:00 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag shore, 100 yd SSE of Yacht Club Beach Common Name: Bald Eagle Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus Comments: Adult, big guy, plumage very clear. Perched 35 ft up in a tree, then took light toward Community Ctr. Positive ID! More Information: Boidnoise: Adult Bald Eagle Call
Read moreObserver: Will Sweet Observation Date: 1/11/09 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Backyard bird feeder Common Name: Pine Siskin Scientific Name: Carduelis pinus Comments: There was a flock of 43 Pine Siskins on my thistle feeders. More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Read moreObserver: Josh Simons Observation Date: 1/1/09 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Parkway Common Name: Tufted Titmouse Scientific Name: Baeolophus bicolor Comments: This and the junco and wren photos were all taken with a Canon 50D and a Canon 500mm f4 lens from the comfort of my kitchen on Moose Hill Parkway. We have feeders that attract lots of birds who land on a nearby […]
Read moreObserver: Josh Simons Observation Date: 1/1/09 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Parkway Common Name: Carolina Wren Scientific Name: Thryothorus ludovicianus Comments: This and the titmouse and junco photos were all taken with a Canon 50D and a Canon 500mm f4 lens from the comfort of my kitchen on Moose Hill Parkway. We have feeders that attract lots of birds who land on a nearby […]
Read moreObserver: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 11/26/08 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Bluebird house in field near Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Deer Mouse Scientific Name: Peromyscus maniculatus Comments: Deer mice sometimes take up residence in bird houses. They can live up to five years in captivity but probably only live about a year in the wild. This shorter natural life span is primarily due […]
Read moreObserver: Peter Higgins Observation Date: 11/26/08 & 11/30/08 Observation Time: 7:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm Common Name: White-Tailed Deer Scientific Name: Odocoileus virginianus Comments: Moose Hill Farm is a wonderful gift to the town, I get up early and see deer, turkeys, and coyotes on a regular basis. More Information: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology “Animal Diversity Web”
Read moreObserver: Randi Simons Observation Date: 11/14/08 Observation Time: Mid-afternoon Observation Location: Moose Hill Parkway, Mass. Audubon conservation land Common Name: Barred Owl Scientific Name: Strix varia Comments: This owl sat on a branch close to the road for an hour or more, not bothered by people watching close by or by chickadees constantly scolding. More Information: Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”
Read moreObserver: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 10/8/08 Observation Time: 11:20 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road backyard Common Name: Praying Mantis Scientific Name: Mantis religiosa Comments: Check out this enormous praying mantis I found in my raspberry patch today. It’s about 5 inches long. I wonder if it descended from the praying mantis egg cases we mail-ordered a few years ago to help control insect pests […]
Read moreObserver: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/25/08 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook near the outbound train station Common Name: American eel Scientific Name: Anguilla rostrata Comments: American eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic Ocean. The larval eels, called glass eels because they are transparent, drift with the Gulf Stream up the east coast. They eventually metmorphose into worm-sized black elvers, which swim […]
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