The Stanton Bird Club conducted its 40th Christmas Bird Count of the Lewiston and Auburn area on Saturday, December 21st. In total, twenty-three people participated and recorded 45 species; the average since 2000 is 48. There was 1″ of snow on the ground and most open water was frozen. The grand total of 4,924 individual birds was well below the average of 5,600. We had a partly sunny day, no winds and temperatures starting at 4 degrees, rising to 30 by the end of the day.   

 Overall, waterfowl numbers were low in comparison to prior years.  There was open water on the Androscoggin River, however no open water at Lake Auburn, Sabattus or Taylor Ponds.  There were no new bird species added to the count this year. 

Less-often-seen birds included Redpolls and Pine Siskins seen at Perkins Ridge, a Hermit Thrush, Bluebirds, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Barrows Goldeneye and 2 Peregrine Falcons.  Count for Red Tail Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal and Mockingbird reached new highs, while Dark Eyed Junco, American Tree Sparrow, American Crow and Rock Dove counts were above average.  On the low side, Black-capped Chickadee, Mallards and Ring Billed Gulls were below average this year

Linda Seamans, compiler

Full Count:
American Black Duck…..2
Mallard………………..133
Common Goldeneye……10
Barrows Goldeneye……..2
Hooded Merganser………3
Common Merganser……..3
Wild Turkey……………84
Bald Eagle………………9
Cooper’s Hawk…………2
Red-tailed Hawk………13
Ring-billed Gull………….29
Herring Gull…………….16
Rock Pigeon …….…….862
Mourning Dove..…..…243
Red-bellied Woodpecker..1
Downy Woodpecker……….30
Hairy Woodpecker………..10
Pileated Woodpecker………7
Peregrine Falcon…………..2
Blue Jay…………………126
American Crow……….1,505
Common Raven……………4
Black-capped Chickadee..266
Tufted Titmouse………….76
Red-breasted Nuthatch……1
White-breasted Nuthatch…36
Brown Creeper…………….1
Golden-crowned Kinglet…..4
Eastern Bluebird…….…….4
Hermit Thrush……………..1
American Robin………….20
Northern Mockingbird……10
European Starling………715
Cedar Waxwing………….40
American Tree Sparrow….44
Song Sparrow………………2
White-throated Sparrow….12
Dark-eyed Junco…………202
Northern Cardinal…………77
House Finch…………….104
Purple Finch………………13
Common Redpoll………….2
Pine Siskin…………………2
American Goldfinch……..69
House Sparrow………….127

45 species and
4,924 individual birds.