A fall guided bird walk will be conducted by the Stanton Bird Club in partnership with the Androscoggin Land Trust at the Alexander-Harkins Preserve on Wednesday, Nov. 21.

Guided bird walk held at Alexander Harkins Preserve

AUBURN – The fifth in a series of fall guided bird walks conducted by the Stanton Bird Club will be held in partnership with the Androscoggin Land Trust at the Alexander-Harkins Preserve on Wednesday, Nov. 21.

The seven-event series is taking in a variety of diverse local habitats and is free and open to the public.

Walks are being led by Stan and Joan DeOrsey, who identify and comment on birds seen or heard. Michael Auger, trust director of land protection and stewardship, is sharing his knowledge of plants and will discuss the preserve and its significance.

The 30-acre Alexander-Harkins Preserve features woods, meadows and wetlands traversed by a well-maintained network of trails. Located in New Auburn, it was donated to the trust in 2000 by Joseph Harkins.

The preserve is adjacent to Sherwood Heights School’s Sherwood Forest and is used by students for nature study and other educational opportunities. The preserve is part of the trust’s expanding conservation and recreational presence in Lewiston/Auburn, the trust’s urban service area.

Other urban preserves include the Huston Farm Conservation Area in New Auburn and the Androscoggin River Preserve in Lewiston. The trust conserves land in all directions surrounding the urban core, as far north as Canton and Jay and south to Lisbon and Durham.

At this time of year, walkers can expect to see woodland birds such as woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches and kinglets, and possibly a yellow-rumped warbler, purple finch, sharp-shinned hawk and great horned or barred owl.

The diversity of tree species and other flora at the Alexander-Harkins Preserve provide habitat for these birds as well as salamanders and insects. Auger will discuss tree strategies for surviving the winter and show how twig buds can be used to identify species.

Those interested should meet at Staples parking lot at 855 Lisbon St., Lewiston. The group will leave at 8 a.m. to be at the walk site at 8:20. Walks end by 11 a.m., but those wishing may leave early. If it is raining or snowing at 7 a.m. and predicted to continue through 10, the walk is canceled. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather.

Walks are approximately two miles on an even and basically dry surface. Call Stan or Joan DeOrsey at 933-2266 or e-mail [email protected] with questions. The final two walks in the series will take place at Railroad Park in Lewiston and Auburn (Dec. 5), and St. Peter’s Cemetery in Lewiston (Dec. 19).

Visit www.androscogginlandtrust.org for more information about the trust. For more information on the bird club, call 782-5238 or visit www.stantonbirdclub.org.