Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/7/20 Observation Time: 6:30 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road (my back yard) Common Name: Broad-leaved Speedwell Scientific Name: Veronica austriaca Comments: Broad-leaved speedwell, also know as large speedwell, Austrian speedwell, or saw-leaved speedwell, is a perennial, herbaceous plant that is native to Europe. It is cultivated and can escape the garden setting. More Information: Wikipedia and Flickr
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Observer: Deborah Radovsky Observation Date: 6/7/20 Observation Time: 8:45 a.m. Observation Location: Quincy St. Common Name: Multiflora rose Scientific Name: Rosa multiflora Comments: Multiflora rose is a deciduous shrub with white flowers and red fruit. Brought here from Asia, it was planted as wildlife food, and also as a living fence, due to its dense growth and sharp thorns. It can grow to 10 feet high […]
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Observer: Eric Zaniewski Observation Date: 6/4/20 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Old Post Road Common Name: Fisher Scientific Name: Martes pennanti Comments: Eric Zaniewski spotted this fisher while bicycling along Old Post Road, and managed to get this remarkable photo. Fishers are sometimes referred to as fisher cats, but they do not fish and they are not cats. They are members of the weasel family. […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/20 Observation Time: 11:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Siberian Iris Scientific Name: Iris siberica Comments: These gaudy flowers bloom in early June. More Information: Commonweeder.com Blue flag irises were growing nearby.
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/20 Observation Time: 11:20 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Field Horsetail Scientific Name: Equisetum arvense Comments: Field horsetail, a perennial plant of genus Equisetum, is the only living representative of the very ancient and primitive class Sphenopsida, tree-sized members of which were prominent in the land vegetation of the Carboniferous era (353-300 million years ago). More […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/4/20 Observation Time: 11:15 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Dame’s Rocket Scientific Name: Hesperis matronalis Comments: Dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis) is a tall, short-lived perennial, which produces white, pink or purple flowers in the spring. Known for its colorful and fragrant blooms, the plant has been a traditional garden favorite. However, in recent years, Dame’s […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/20 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: Near tennis courts at outbound train station Common Name: Schlaeger’s fruitworm moth Scientific Name: Antaeotricha schlaegeri Comments: The Schlaeger’s fruitworm moth is found in north-eastern North America, south to North Carolina and west to Kansas and Texas. Adults resemble a bird-dropping. The wingspan is 21–30 mm. The larvae feed on white oak and related species. […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/20 Observation Time: 1:15 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Harlequin Darner dragonfly Scientific Name: Gomphaeschna furcillata Comments: The Harlequin Darner is a member of the Aeshnidae family of dragonflies. The species occurs across much of the eastern United States and parts of southeast Canada. Its range extends to eastern Texas. Harlequin darners resemble taper-tailed dragonflies. The pale 7-shaped mark […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/20 Observation Time: 10:55 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: False Solomon’s Seal Scientific Name: Maianthemum racemosum Comments: This herbaceous perennial plant is unbranched and grows to about knee-high. The central stem is somewhat erect and ascending. Flowers (then berries) occur at the end of the plant. Flowers occur in a plume-like cluster of minute florets and transform […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 5:15 p.m. Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm Common Name: Black Gum Tree Scientific Name: Nyssa sylvatica Comments: Also known as black tupelo, this is one of the most attractive native trees around. Summer leaves are a dark green with a high-gloss appearance, but the most spectacular part of this tree is the fall foliage with many […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm Common Name: Star of Bethlehem Scientific Name: Ornithogalum umbellatum Comments: The Star of Bethlehem is a genus (Ornithogalum) of perennial plants native to southern Europe belonging to the family Hyacinthaceae. Growing from a bulb, it has grass-like basal leaves and a slender stalk, up to 30 cm tall, bearing clusters […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) 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 […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 4:50 p.m. Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm Common Name: Song Sparrow Scientific Name: Melospiza melodia Comments: There are at least 18 species of sparrows in Massachusetts. Learning their respective calls is a good way to find and identify them. More Information: All About Birds
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 4:40 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Red clover Scientific Name: Trifolium pratense Comments: Clover is widely grown as a fodder crop, valued for its nitrogen fixation, which increases soil fertility. For these reasons, it is used as a green manure crop. This specimen had not yet produced its reddish flowers, but the two-tone pattern on […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Wild Violet Scientific Name: Viola odorata Comments: V. odorata is native to Europe and Asia, but has also been introduced to North America and Australia. It is a hardy herbaceous flowering perennial. More Information: Wikipedia
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Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 2:15 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: American Robin Scientific Name: Turdus migratorius Comments: Robins eat different types of food depending on the time of day: more earthworms in the morning and more fruit later in the day. Because the robin forages largely on lawns, it is vulnerable to pesticide poisoning and can be an important […]
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Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Chalk-fronted corporal dragonfly (male) Scientific Name: Ladona julia Comments: This species of skimmer dragonfly is typically observed near local marshes and lakes with a decaying organic substrate. More Information: geocities
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Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Dot-tailed Whiteface dragonfly (female) Scientific Name: Leucorrhinia intacta Comments: The Dot-tailed Whiteface dragonfly (Leucorrhina intacta) is a member of the Skimmer family, Libellulidae. There are over a thousand species in this brightly-colored family gracing the skies worldwide. A tenth of those are native to North America, making Skimmers […]
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Observer: Lonnie Friedman Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 1:50 p.m. Observation Location: In our yard (Gavins Pond Road) Common Name: Tiger Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio glaucus Comments: This striking, large butterfly is fairly common. More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North America
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Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 5/31/20 Observation Time: 10:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Pink Lady’s Slipper orchid Scientific Name: Cypripedium acaule Comments: Pink lady’s slippers probably won’t survive if you try to transplant them, so please don’t dig them up. More Information: Wikipedia
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Observer: Lonnie Friedman Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 5:00 pm Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: Oyster Mushroom Scientific Name: Pleurotus ostreatus Comments: This oyster mushroom was growing on a log. I believe it to be edible, but I did not dare test that hypothesis! More Information: Wikipedia Here’s the first photo taken 5/30/20: To confirm the identification, I returned the following afternoon and took these […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 4:45 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Indian Cucumber Root Scientific Name: Medeola virginiana Comments: Indian cucumber-root is a common perennial of the forest understory in New England. As the name suggests, the edible root tastes somewhat like cucumber. More Information: Go Botany
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 4:30 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Bald-faced Hornet Scientific Name: Dolichovespula maculata Comments: The bald-faced hornet is related to yellowjacket wasps, and is not a true hornet. Its colloquial names include bald hornet, white-faced hornet, white-tailed hornet, spruce wasp, blackjacket, and bull wasp. Bald-faced hornets are social insects and are most active during […]
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 3:50 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm Common Name: Golden Ragwort Scientific Name: Senecio aureus (also known as Packera aurea) Comments: Golden Ragwort is a biannual plant with yellow-orange flowers. It grows to a height of 2 feet and belongs to Asteraceae family (i.e. asters). More Information: New Moon Nursery
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Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 3:05 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Blue-eyed grass Scientific Name: Sisyrinchium angustifolium Comments: Blue-eyed grass grows in fields, meadows and the edges of wetlands. This clump was growing along the dirt road under the high-tension lines. Except in spring when its small, blue flowers make it conspicuous, this plant is hard to pick out among […]
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