Sightings – Page 41 – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Orange Bluet damselfly – 7/1/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/1/11 Observation Time: 3:45 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Orange bluet damselfly Scientific Name: Enallagma signatum Comments: These small orange damselflies were darting about all over the surface of the pond, occasionally alighting on floating weeds. Some were mating. The first two photos are males and the third female. More Information: Wikipedia or Fotki

Northern Water Snake (juvenile) – 8/6/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/6/12 Observation Time: 1:10 p.m. Observation Location: outflow pool below Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Northern Water Snake (juvenile) Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: Young northern water snake males are more brightly marked than older ones, which tend to be all black. More Information: Snakes of Massachusetts

Northern Water Snake – 6/12/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/12/13 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Northern Water Snake Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: The older northern water snakes get, the blacker they become. This mature specimen appears to be all black, but the underside is still colorful. Non-venomous northern water snakes are sometimes confused with venomous water moccasins, which live farther south. Even older northern water snakes […]

Northern Water Snake – 5/31/12

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/12 Observation Time: 8:20 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Northern Water Snake Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: This big water snake was stalking a frog. More Information: http://www.snake-removal.com/northernwatersnake.html It tastes the air with its forked tongue. Its scales have ridges called “keels.” The frog got away.

Northern Water Snake – 8/14/10

Observer: Alex Hackman Observation Date: 8/14/10 Observation Time: 11:00 a.m. Observation Location: Outlet of Gavins Pond Common Name: Northern Water Snake Scientific Name: Nerodia sipedon Comments: Lucky to see this water snake slither by while taking stream flow measurements. More Information: Wikipedia

Northern Shoveler duck – 10/11/09

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 10/11/09 Observation Time: 4:20 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Northern Shoveler duck Scientific Name: Anas clypeata Comments: This duck gets its name from its large bill. More Information: All About Birds.org

Northern Paper Wasp – 9/22/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/22/13 Observation Time: 4:00 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond area near soccer parking lot Common Name: Northern Paper Wasp Scientific Name: Polistes fuscatus Comments: This individual appeared to be gleaning wood fibers for use in constructing or repairing a nest. More Information: Wikipedia

Northern Eyed Brown butterfly – 8/26/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/26/10 Observation Time: 4:10 p.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts Common Name: Northern Eyed Brown butterfly Scientific Name: Satyrodes eurydice Comments: This individual was perched on the handrail of the wooden footbridge constructed by SFOC over Beaver Brook. More Information: Mass Audubon

Dewberry – 5/26/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/26/10 Observation Time: 5:25 p.m. Observation Location: edge of woods by Gavins Pond near soccer fields Common Name: Dewberry Scientific Name: Rubus flagellaris Comments: Dewberries are found in the eastern half of North America. Indians prepared a tea using northern dewberry roots to calm stomach irritation. The fruits are large and tasty. They can be eaten raw or used in jams, […]

Muskrat – 6/8/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/8/13 Observation Time: 6:08 p.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook near tennis courts Common Name: Muskrat Scientific Name: Ondatra zibethicus Comments: Muskrats are fairly common near water in Sharon. They are native to North America, and related to voles and lemmings, but they are in a different genus from true rats. More Information: Wikipedia

Muscovy Duck – 1/20/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 1/20/10 Observation Time: 3:55 p.m. Observation Location: on the ice at Knifeshop Pond, Ames Street Common Name: Muscovy Duck Scientific Name: Cairina moschata Comments: The Muscovy Duck is a large duck native to Mexico and Central and South America. A small wild population reaches into the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. There also are feral breeding […]

Mourning Cloak Butterfly – 7/2/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/2/13 Observation Time: 7:00 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road near soccer fields Common Name: Mourning Cloak Butterfly Scientific Name: Nymphalis antiopa Comments: Unlike most butterfly species, mourning cloaks overwinter as adults, so they are typically the first butterflies seen in spring. This tattered individual was on its last legs, but still displayed striking coloration. More Information: Wikipedia

Mourning Cloak butterfly – 7/9/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/9/11 Observation Time: 2:50 p.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Mourning Cloak butterfly Scientific Name: Nymphalis antiopa Comments: Unlike most butterflies, mourning cloaks overwinter as adults, so they are often the first butterfly seen in spring. More Information: Wikipedia

Wood Duck – 9/28/14

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/28/14 Observation Time: 4:50 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Wood Duck Scientific Name: Aix sponsa Comments: Wood ducks are often seen in Gavins Pond in the fall. They are quite shy, so getting close enough to get a good photo of these spectacular ducks is a challenge. Note that the female has drab plummage compared to the gaudy drake. More […]

Mottled Prominent Moth (Caterpillar) – 9/22/13

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/22/13 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: King Phillip’s Rock Common Name: Mottled Prominent Moth (caterpillar) Scientific Name: Macrurocampa marthesia Comments: For a photo of the adult Mottled Prominent moth, see: http://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/177197-Macrurocampa-marthesia More Information: BugGuide

Northern Mockingbird – 5/2/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/2/11 Observation Time: 4:50 p.m. Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: Northern mockingbird Scientific Name: Mimus polyglottos Comments: As both the common name and the scientific name suggest, the northern mockingbird mimics other birds and other sounds in its environment. If you are familiar with bird songs, you can sometimes get clues about what other bird species might be around by listening to […]

Northern Mockingbird – 6/6/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/6/10 Observation Time: 4:15 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Northern mockingbird Scientific Name: Mimus polyglottos Comments: Mockingbirds repeat whatever they are mocking 3 or 4 times. That differentiates them from the other two mimics found in Sharon, brown thrashers (that repeat twice), and catbirds (that repeat only once). More Information: All About Birds

Mayfly – 4/23/09

Observer: Alex Hackman Observation Date: 4/23/09 Observation Time: 9:45 a.m. Observation Location: Beaver Brook Common Name: Mayfly Scientific Name: Ephemeroptera Comments: Adult mayfly hatch observed during a paddle up Beaver Brook. This insect is an indicator of good water quality. More Information: Texas A&M

May Apple – 5/13/14

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/13/14 Observation Time: 8:05 a.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary Common Name: May apple Scientific Name: Podophyllum peltatum Comments: Check out this well-written blog about May apples: 66 SQUARE FEET (PLUS) blog

Mallard – 1/20/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 1/20/10 Observation Time: 3:55 p.m. Observation Location: Knifeshop Pond, Ames Street Common Name: Mallard Scientific Name: Anas platyrhynchos Comments: The Mallard is a rare example of both Allen’s Rule and Bergmann’s Rule in birds. Bergmann’s Rule, which states that polar forms tend to be larger than related ones from warmer climates, has numerous examples in birds. Allen’s Rule says that […]

Maitake mushroom – 10/1/10

Observer: Constance Keegan Observation Date: 10/1/10 Observation Time: Daytime Observation Location: By a large oak tree in my yard on Moosehill Pkwy Common Name: Maitake mushroom Scientific Name: Grifola frondosa Comments: Also called “hen of the woods,” G. frondosa should not be confused with Laetiporus sulphureus, another edible bracket fungus that is commonly called “chicken of the woods.” Like all polypores, the fungus becomes inedible when older, because […]

Little Wood Satyr Butterfly – 5/31/11

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/31/11 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: in the woods near Gavins Pond Common Name: Little Wood Satyr butterfly Scientific Name: Megisto cymela Comments: A common woodland butterfly in Massachusetts. More Information: Massachusetts Butterfly Club

Little Wood Satyr Butterfly – 6/20/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/20/10 Observation Time: 9:10 a.m. Observation Location: near Gavins Pond Common Name: Little Wood Satyr butterfly Scientific Name: Megisto cymela Comments: A common woodland butterfly in Massachusetts. More Information: Massachusetts Butterfly Club

Little Floatingheart – 8/3/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/3/10 Observation Time: 9:45 a.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Common Name: Little Floatingheart Scientific Name: Nymphoides cordata Comments: The little floatinghearts are the smaller, darker, heart-shaped floating pads visible in the photo among the bigger, greener rounder water lilies. The small, five-petalled white flowers are those of little floatingheart. Water lilies have much bigger floating blossoms (see photo taken September […]

Lingzhi Mushroom – 10/17/10

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 10/17/10 Observation Time: 10:00 a.m. Observation Location: 4 Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Lingzhi mushroom Scientific Name: Ganoderma tsugae Comments: This mushroom specimen was growing in the tamarack (larch) grove in my back yard. It is probably growing on a root, as it was growing on the ground right next to a big tamarack tree. Since tamaracks are coniferous, this specimen is presumably Ganoderma […]

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