Sightings – Page 26 – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Brook Trout – 4/19/20

Observer: Steven D’Addieco Observation Date: 4/19/20 Observation Time: 7:15 p.m. Observation Location: undisclosed location in Sharon Common Name: Brook trout Scientific Name: Salveninus Fontinalus Comments: Pollution and dams have greatly reduced native brook trout populations in eastern Massachusetts. Brook trout are vulnerable to global warming because they cannot survive in warm water. Please practice catch and release to help conserve these beautiful fish. More Information: Massachusetts […]

Eastern Bluebird – 4/17/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/17/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: conservation land near Morse & Lakeview Common Name: Eastern Bluebird Scientific Name: Sialia sialis Comments: The Sharon Friends of Conservation maintains six bluebird nesting boxes at this site. Most of them are occupied by tree swallows. More Information: All About Birds

Old Man’s Beard Lichen – 4/16/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/16/20 Observation Time: 1:45 p.m. Observation Location: conservation land at Lakeview & Morse Common Name: Old Man’s Beard lichen Scientific Name: Usnea strigosa Comments: Also called bushy beard, this epiphytic (i.e. growing on trees) lichen is a composite organism that emerges from algae or cyanobacteria living among the filaments of the fungi in a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship. The fungi benefit […]

Gray Fox – 4/15/20

Observer: Megan Baker Observation Date: 4/15/20 Observation Time: 3:45 p.m. Observation Location: 15 Briggs Pond Way Common Name: Gray Fox Scientific Name: Urocyon cinereoargenteus Comments: Spotted trotting across the back yard. The gray fox has rounded ears, a dark-tipped tail and hooked claws. Unlike a red fox, the gray fox can climb, and will occasionally forage for food or rest in a tree. The gray fox’s ability […]

Northern Flicker – 4/15/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/15/20 Observation Time: 2:45 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Sandy Ridge Circle Common Name: Northern Flicker Scientific Name: Colaptes auratus Comments: Flickers are woodpeckers, but they are unusual in that they eat ants and beetles on the ground. They are sometimes called yellow-shafted flickers. More Information: All About Birds

Downy Woodpecker – 4/15/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/15/20 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Sandy Ridge Circle Common Name: Downy Woodpecker Scientific Name: Dendrocopos pubescens Comments: Dendrocopos means “tree dagger” and “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] More Information: All About Birds

Tufted Titmouse – 4/15/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 4/15/20 Observation Time: 1:15 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Sandy Ridge Circle Common Name: Tufted Titmouse Scientific Name: Baeolophus bicolor Comments: Tufted titmice are abundant in the woods in Sharon. They are often encountered in the company of chickadees. More Information: All About Birds

American woodcock – 3/9/20

Observer: Richard Mandell Observation Date: 3/9/20 Observation Time: afternoon Observation Location: 580 Mountain St. Common Name: American Woodcock Scientific Name: Scolopax minor Comments: Woodcocks are also called timberdoodles. They nest on the ground, and are very well camouflaged. Youtube video of woodcock mating flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta1fxy0MR2c&t=6s Youtube video of woodcocks “waltzing”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSh9Shgwc5o More Information: All About Birds

Hooded Merganser – 3/8/20

Observer: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 3/8/20 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Car Shop Pond Common Name: Hooded merganser Scientific Name: Lophodytes cucullatus Comments: Check out the video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnoGijQwyvw More Information: All About Birds

Bufflehead – 3/8/20

Observer: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 3/8/20 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag (near Harding St. & Beach St.) Common Name: Bufflehead Scientific Name: Bucephala albeola Comments: Shot a bit of video to go with previous days’ sightings at same location. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdOIPxBSs1g More Information: All About Birds

Mute Swan – 3/5/20

Observer: Ilan Fisher Observation Date: 3/5/20 Observation Time: 3:30 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag (south end, off Beach St.) Common Name: Mute Swan Scientific Name: Cygnus olor Comments: I saw five of these guys cruising by the lake. Sorry, no photo. More Information: All About Birds

Sugar Maple – 2/25/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 2/25/20 Observation Time: 5:30 pm Observation Location: Moose Hill, Billings Loop Common Name: Sugar Maple Tree Scientific Name: Acer saccharum Comments: The two huge sugar maples near the barn on the Billings Loop are called George and Martha because they began life at around the same time as George Washington and his wife Martha. The Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary […]

Pileated Woodpecker – 2/25/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 2/25/20 Observation Time: 1:10 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Pileated Woodpecker Scientific Name: Dryocopus pileatus Comments: I spotted this magnificent, large, red-crested woodpecker behind the barn on the Billings Loop. You will improve your chances of sighting one of these birds by learning their calls and the sound of their drumming, which is different from that of other […]

Tufted Titmouse – 2/25/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 2/25/20 Observation Time: 12:50 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audbon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Tufted Titmouse Scientific Name: Baeolophus bicolor Comments: This tufted titmouse was feeding at the bird feeder by the Moose Hill Audubon headquarters. More Information: All About Birds

Black-capped Chickadee – 2/25/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 2/25/20 Observation Time: 12:30 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: Black-capped Chickadee Scientific Name: Poecile atricapillus Comments: Chickadees are one of Sharon’s most common birds. They often travel in groups that sometimes include tufted titmouse. With patience, chickadees can be trained to eat sunflower seeds out of your hand! More Information: All About Birds

Black Racer – 1/11/20

Observer: Marcia Tranavitch Observation Date: 1/11/20 Observation Time: mid-day Observation Location: on top of Pierce’s Hill on the Warner Trail (which is also the Bay Circuit Trail at this point) Common Name: Black racer Scientific Name: Coluber constrictor Comments: Reptiles are cold-blooded so they warm themselves by basking. This black racer was seen sunning itself on a warm winter day. It didn’t stretch out for me but […]

Eastern Coyote – 10/17/19

Observer: John Davis Observation Date: 10/17/19 Observation Time: 3:00 p.m. Observation Location: 76 Edge Hill Rd. Common Name: Eastern Coyote Scientific Name: Canis latrans Comments: The eastern coyote is part coyote, part wolf, and part domestic dog. They howl like wolves and yip like coyotes and can hunt in both open field areas and forests. This healthy-looking coyote posed in the back yard for a minute, […]

White Wood Aster – 10/6/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 10/6/19 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: Near Beaver Brook Common Name: White Wood Aster Scientific Name: Eurybia divaricata Comments: Eurybia divaricata is native to Eastern U.S. and typically grows in the wild in dry open woods. It grows in loose clumps with dark, sprawling, sometimes zigzag stems up to 2.5′ tall. Distinctive leaves are heart-shaped, stalked and coarsely toothed. Small […]

Northestern Sawyer Beetle – 9/10/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/10/19 Observation Time: 6:20 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Northeastern Sawyer Beetle Scientific Name: Monochamus notatus Comments: The Northeastern Pine Sawyer Beetle is one of several harmless native species that look like the exotic and destructive Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB). The Northeastern Sawyer is our largest native longhorn beetle, about as large as ALB, but different in color […]

Cockroach Wasp – 9/3/19

Observer: Gaurav Shah Observation Date: 9/3/2019 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: Borderland State Park, Northwest Trail Common Name: Cockroach Wasp Scientific Name: Podium luctuosum Comments: This is the first record of this genus in Massachusetts according to BugGuide, and only the second in New England (there are other existing records from iNaturalist). More information: https://bugguide.net/node/view/202008

Cockroach Wasp – 9/3/19

Observer: Gaurav Shah Observation Date: 9/3/2019 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: Borderland State Park, Northwest Trail Common Name: Cockroach Wasp Scientific Name: Dolichurus cf. bicolor Comments: There are no existing records of this genus in the country in iNaturalist, and only one in BugGuide (which was in Arkansas). This species has one of the most remarkable adaptations in all of nature: they are able to remove […]

Fall Field Cricket – 8/26/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/26/19 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: my back yard (Gavins Pond Road) Common Name: Fall Field Cricket Scientific Name: Gryllus pennsylvanicus Comments: All field crickets are able to make the universally recognizable cricket, “chirping” sounds. Males, though, are able to make the loudest and most noticeable sounds. The chirping is generated by the movement of “scrapers” found on the edge of […]

White Perch – 8/23/19

Observer: Steven D’Addieco Observation Date: 8/23/19 Observation Time: 6:00 p.m. Observation Location: Lake Massapoag Common Name: White Perch Scientific Name: Morone Americana Comments: There are lots of white perch in Lake Massapoag. White perch are good to eat. White perch are not a true perch but, rather, belong to the bass family, Moronidae. More Information: Wikipedia

Yellow Patches Mushroom – 7/13/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/13/19 Observation Time: 11:30 a.m. Observation Location: near footbridge over Beaver Brook Common Name: Yellow Patches Mushroom Scientific Name: Amanita flavoconia Comments: Amanita flavoconia, commonly known as yellow patches, yellow wart, orange Amanita, or yellow-dust Amanita, is a species of mushroom in the family Amanitaceae. It has an orangish-yellow cap with yellowish-orange patches or warts, a yellowish-orange annulus, and a white to […]

Painted Lady Butterfly – 7/1/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/1/19 Observation Time: 4:50 p.m. Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm Common Name: Painted Lady butterfly Scientific Name: Vanessa cardui Comments: The Painted Lady has four small spots on the undersides of its hind wings, whereas the American Lady has two large spots. Otherwise they look very similar. This one was feeding on milkweed blossoms. More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North […]

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