LEWISTON — The Stanton Bird Club of Lewiston/Auburn has announced the fall schedule of Guided Bird Walks. This continues the fifth year for the bird walk series which starts each June and continues to December.

The season will begin with a Sept. 7 walk along the old Spring Road in North Auburn, now a walking trail along the shores of Lake Auburn, to look for early fall migrants. This will be followed by a walk focusing on botany at Beaver Park in Lisbon with co-leader Susan Hayward. Each walk is different with the intent of observing a variety of local birds either in different habitats or as different species migrate.

Walks are held in a variety of interesting and diverse local habitats, plus some private areas not normally open to the public. Anyone interested in walking, seeing new places, fresh air and nature is welcomed.

Walks are held every other Wednesday on the dates listed below.

All walks are free and open to everyone, beginning naturalist to advanced birder. Walks are led by Stan and Joan DeOrsey, who will identify and comment on birds seen and heard; and by Susan Hayward, Stanton naturalist, who will share her knowledge of botany.

The full 2011 fall schedule is as follows:

Sept. 7: Whitman Spring Road Trail, Auburn, for early fall migrants

Sept. 21: Beaver Park, Lisbon, a special walk for botany (and birds)

Oct. 5: Pineland, New Gloucester, for fall migrants. Participants are requested to bring lunch.

Oct. 19: Packard-Littlefield Farm, Lisbon, for grassland and field residents

Nov. 2: Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary, Lewiston, for fall residents

Nov. 16: Sabattus Pond, Sabattus, for ducks

Nov. 30: Railroad Park, Lewiston and Auburn, for winter gulls and ducks

Except on Sept. 7, walks leave at 8 a.m. from the Promenade Mall parking lot, near Staples, 855 Lisbon St., Lewiston, to be at the walk site at 8:20 a.m. The Sept. 7 walk leaves from the Auburn Mall, JCPenney’s end parking lot, 550 Center St., Auburn, at 8 a.m. Walks end by 11 a.m., but participants may leave early. The Oct. 5 walk will end by 1 p.m.

If raining at 7 a.m. and predicted to continue through 10 a.m., the walk is canceled. Bring binoculars and dress for the weather; layers work very well. Walks are approximately two miles on an even and basically dry surface. For any questions, call Stan or Joan DeOrsey at 933-2266 or email [email protected].

Those interested may sign up for email reminders sent two days prior to each walk.

For more Stanton Bird Club information, call 782-5238 or visit www.stantonbirdclub.org.