LEWISTON — The Stanton Bird Club of Lewiston and Auburn will hold two field trips in February. The first is a Leader’s Choice field trip on Saturday, Feb. 3. The second is Winter Tracking at Woodbury Nature Sanctuary in Monmouth on Saturday, Feb. 17.
The bird club will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, in room 285, USM Lewiston- Auburn College, 55 Westminster St. The subject will be “The Effects of Feeding on Wintering Birds,” presented by Herb Wilson, Colby College. The field trips and meeting are free and open to everyone.
Wilson, professor of biosciences at Colby College, speaking on “The Effects of Feeding on Wintering Birds.” Wilson has taught at Colby College for over 25 years. He is an ecologist with a special interest in birds, butterflies and dragonflies. He has research interests in the winter foraging ecology of birds, especially sandpipers in all seasons.
The Feb. 3 field trip participants will meet at 8 a.m. at the Promenade Mall, 855 Lisbon St. at the end of the parking lot by Staples across from Marquis Signs. Carpooling will be arranged.
The leader will be Dan Marquis. He will stay abreast of the online reports of birds being sighted around the state as he decides where to go. It is an opportunity to see some birds not usually seen. The trip will return to Lewiston about noon. For any questions, call Marquis at 207-513-8213.
The Winter Tracking at Woodbury trip on Feb. 17 is scheduled from 8 to 11 a.m. Participants will also meet at Staples. They will walk the trails to discover tracks left by resident animals. Although tracks of porcupine, coyote and white-tailed deer are predictably often seen, in the last few years the trip has also revealed tracks of bobcat, fisher and short-tailed weasel.
Besides tracks, other signs of winter forest life such as trees felled by beaver, the wood chips of pileated woodpeckers and various animal scat add interest to the trip. Dress warmly and bring snowshoes or winter boots. The trip leader is Steve Reed and he can be reached at 207-319-6630.
For more information, visit Facebook or www.StantonBirdClub.org.
Cedar waxwing in an ornamental crabapple tree. Waxwing is only found here in winter. (Dan Marquis photo)
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