Sightings – Page 25 – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Black Gum Tree – 5/31/20

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 […]

Star of Bethlehem – 5/31/20

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 […]

Eastern Cottontail – 5/31/20

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 […]

Song Sparrow – 5/31/20

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

Red Clover – 5/31/20

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 […]

Wild violet – 5/31/20

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

American Robin – 5/31/20

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 […]

Chalk-fronted Corporal Dragonfly – 5/31/20

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

Dot-tailed Whiteface (female) – 5/31/20

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 […]

Tiger Swallowtail – 5/31/20

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

Pink Lady’s Slipper Orchid – 5/31/20

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

Oyster Mushroom – 5/30/20

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 […]

Indian Cucumber Root – 5/30/20

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

Bald-faced Hornet – 5/30/20

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 […]

Golden Ragwort – 5/30/20

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

Blue-eyed Grass – 5/30/20

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 […]

Indigo Bunting – 5/30/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 2:45 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Indigo Bunting Scientific Name: Passerina cyanea Comments: Male 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. Female indigo buntings are brown (see photos below). More Information: All […]

Black Swallowtail – 5/30/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 2:25 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations) Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes Comments: The big pasture at Moose Hill Farm is a good place to find black swallowtail butterflies (and other butterfly species as well). You can sometimes find bobolinks there as well. Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush […]

Mouse-ear Chickweed – 5/30/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Mouse-ear chickweed Scientific Name: Cerastium fontanum Comments: Mouse-ear chickweed is a herb. Herbs are broad-leaved, herbaceous (non-woody) plants. Herbaceous plants are also known as forbs or wildflowers. More Information: Kansas Native Plants

Red-eyed Vireo – 5/30/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/30/20 Observation Time: 1:40 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (TTOR) Common Name: Red-eyed Vireo Scientific Name: Vireo olivaceus Comments: Red-eyed vireos are a common summer resident in Sharon. They sing all day long. Since they are notoriously hard to spot in the canopy, the mnemonic for their song is, “Here I am. Where are you?” Hear a recording at: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-eyed_Vireo/sounds. Note […]

Canada Mayflower – 5/27/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/20 Observation Time: 5:15 p.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts Common Name: Canada Mayflower Scientific Name: Maianthemum canadense Comments: This common plant carpets the forest floor in many parts of Sharon. More Information: Wikipedia I took this photo at the same place on June 2:

Pink Lady’s Slipper – 5/27/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/20 Observation Time: 5:10 p.m. Observation Location: in the woods near the footbridge over Beaver Brook 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

Starflower – 5/27/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/20 Observation Time: 5:10 p.m. Observation Location: near footbridge over Beaver Brook Common Name: Starflower Scientific Name: Lysimachia borealis Comments: Formerly known as Trientalis borealis, it has been shuffled around to new species name Lysimachia borealis (same genus as the yellow Loosestrifes) and moved to the Myrsinaceae (Myrsine) family. This member of the primrose family likes moist woods. It blooms in […]

Red-bellied Woodpecker – 5/21/20

Observer: Josh Simons Observation Date: 5/21/20 Observation Time: 6:30 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill area Common Name: Red-bellied woodpecker Scientific Name: Melanerpes carolinus Comments: Massachusetts is at the northern edge of the range for this species (as implied by its scientific name, Melanerpes carolinus), but they are becoming more common around here as a result of the warming climate. Red-bellied woodpeckers make a very distinctivekwirr call. Learn to […]

Bobolink – 5/21/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/21/20 Observation Time: 9:30 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (formerly the Kendall Estate) Common Name: Bobolink Scientific Name: Dolichonyx oryzivorus Comments: The big pasture at the Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm is ideal breeding habitat for bobolinks. Meadow habitat is not nearly as prevalent in Massachusetts since industry replaced agriculture, and forests grew back in former pasture lands. More Information: All About Birds

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