BIRDS OF LEWISTON-AUBURN, MAINE 



Lewiston and Auburn are twin cities of the Androscog- 

 gin valley. Lewiston was the home of Prof. J. Y. Stanton 

 of Bates College to whom the majority of bird lovers of this 

 vicinity trace their first interest in birds. 



The Stanton Bird Club belongs to these cities. Prob- 

 ably no locality has more bird life than this. The Androscog- 

 gin river gives us more water birds during the migratory 

 season. Lake Auburn, three miles away adds to our list 

 through one of our members who lives near. No Name 

 Pond in Lewiston no doubt has much of interest, but none 

 of our members live in this vicinity so I am not familiar 

 with its birds. 



Most of our bird students live within or just outside 

 the city limits, so I will write more fully of the birds we see 

 within a radius of two miles from the heart of the city. 



Riverside Cemetery on the bank of the Androscoggin 

 river, David's Mountain, the college woods and vicinity, 

 along the railroad track to the Fair Grounds, Eastern Aven- 

 ue in Lewiston, the "Logan," Dennison Street gully and 

 Franklin land in Auburn are the mecca of the Stanton Bird 

 Club. Here we hike spring mornings starting at 6.30. 



Auburn Heights and Prospect Hill, (Auburn) neighbor- 

 hoods are good bird territory but not near enough for our 

 morning walks. 



Our first spring migrant is the prairie horned lark 

 which arrives about the 22nd of February. Next comes the 

 sparrow hawk. About the middle of March or a little later 

 bluebirds, robins and song sparrows are seen and heard, for 

 these birds come in full song. 



March 7 was the earliest date recorded for a bluebird 

 until this year when one was seen on Frye Street, February 

 7, and he was singing. It is difficult to say which is the 

 earlier arrival the bluebird or robin. To the city dweller the 

 robin comes first, and that spring morning when his note is 

 heard we can say with Edmund Clarence Stedman: 



"The sweetest sound our whole year round, 



'Tis the first robin of the spring! 

 The song of the full orchard choir 



Is not so fine a thing." 



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