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Join the Club For a Walk and a Chance to See Thorncrag Sanctuary

November 19, 2008 - LEWISTON -- In February, the Stanton Bird Club will turn 90 years old. And although its members hesitate to call it the oldest birding club in the state, it is by far one with tremendous staying power.

Considering the National Association of Audubon Societies was incorporated in New York state in 1905, Lewiston's bird club is indeed among the first in the country, if not Maine.

In fact, just as the national birding organization was named for the world-famous ornithologist and artist from the 19th century, John James Audubon, so was Lewiston's birding club named for a professor of note: Jonathan Young Stanton.

The Bates College professor, whose mounted birds can be found at the Maine State Museum, influenced the study of birds in the state.

As his namesake continues to do the same.

"We are probably the largest birding club in the state not affiliated with Maine Audubon," said Stan DeOrsey, trip leader.

Most of the birding clubs in Maine are affiliated with the National Audubon Society through Maine Audubon in Falmouth. There are seven Maine chapters.

There are other nature clubs and fishing clubs in Maine as well, such as the Augusta Nature Club, which also began way back in 1919.

DeOrsey points out there are also many unofficial birding clubs in the state that run out of shops and parks, groups that gather because of a common love of nature.

"With the Internet, there are a lot of people who form their own groups," DeOrsey said. "They are not formal clubs with elected officials, but they are constantly or frequently looking for birds."

But the history around the home sanctuary of the Stanton Bird Club, Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary, makes it unique. The sanctuary began as a 45-acre gift of Alfred Williams Anthony in 1921, and now totals more than 350 acres.

The club holds occasional programs at the Thorncrag in addition to its once-a-month birding walks. But the varied habitat makes a study of nature possible year-round.

In the past year, the club added another 50 acres and put in a parking lot.

The much-needed lot allows visitors to safely pull off of busy Highland Spring Road and access the park for birding, nature walks, snowshoeing or Nordic skiing.

"It was an abused piece of land in the '50s, '60s and '70s. Nobody used it or cared for it. Nationally, there was not a great interest in natural history," said Stanton president Susan Hayward. "In the late '70s, people cared about the environment, and we revitalized Thorncrag. More and more, we've made it accessible. Now we need a shelter and a bathroom, and it will be even more accessible to even more people, and we will crank up a lot more programming."

Those who want an introduction to the sanctuary can join the club on the Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 20, the next Stanton event that will take place in Thorncrag.

WALKS WITH STANTON BIRD CLUB

THE CLUB'S NEXT monthly walk will be from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday in Lewiston and Auburn. The club will explore waters for ducks and late migrants. All are welcome. To learn more, go to www.avcnet.org, e-mail jsmd@att.net, or call 933-2266.

THE NEXT CLUB bird walk will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 6 along Marginal Way in Ogunquit.

THE STANTON Bird Club's Christmas Bird Count for the National Audubon Society will take place all day on Dec. 20. Contact Stan DeOrsey at jsmd@att.net.

DEIRDRE FLEMING, Portland Press Herald, November 13, 2008


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