New Main Library Gallery Exhibit is Going to the Birds
Posted on January 29, 2020
by Library News
The Toledo Lucas County Public Library has unveiled a new exhibit on the majesty of migrating birds. “Day to Night: In the Field with Stephen Wilkes” showcases stunning images that portray the passage of time. It runs until May 23 at Main Library’s Gallery.
A Downtown Display of Nature
Stephen Wilkes spent much of 2017 in the field documenting bird migration routes for the March 2018 issue of National Geographic magazine. For “Day to Night,” he curated compelling scenes from more than 1,500 images. Wilkes captured these landscapes from a fixed vantage point over the course of 15 to 30 hours, from sunrise to sunset. He provided a narrative with the images explaining how he composed these photographs.
The exhibit also features four mega-prints of bird migrations, roughly 7 feet tall and 12 feet wide, displaying the theme of conservation. “Day to Night” is already drawing the attention of Library customers. Meg Delaney, Main Library manager, described it as a striking collection.
“We are so thrilled to feature this exhibit at Main Library,” Delaney said. “It celebrates both the beauty of nature and Wilkes’ inspiring perspective on the world.”
Wilkes is an acclaimed photographer whose work captured long-abandoned medical wards on Ellis Island and the effects of Hurricane Katrina. National Geographic, The New York Times, Vanity Fair and numerous other publications have published his editorial work.
Lessons in Birding
Birding is ingrained in our region’s DNA! Northwest Ohio and the Lake Erie shoreline are uniquely situated alongside migratory patterns. Each spring, Magee Marsh Wildlife Area hosts The Biggest Week in American Birding, drawing tourists from around the world.
Join us for an upcoming Authors! event with naturalist and author Kenn Kaufman. Kaufman will speak about the science and magic of spring bird migration throughout this region. He is the only person to twice receive the American Birding Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The free event is 7 p.m. March 12 at Main Library McMaster Center.
How to Know the Birds introduces a new, holistic approach to bird-watching, by noting how behaviors, settings, and seasonal cycles connect with shape, song, color, gender, age distinctions, and other features traditionally used to identify species. With short essays on 200 observable species, expert author Ted Floyd guides us through a year of becoming a better birder.
This comprehensive and beloved guide reveals the most ubiquitous and remarkable species of North American birds, clearly organized by family and paired with identification tips, behavior, vocal descriptions and more. The new edition features a “Backyard Basics” section from the world’s most prolific birdwatcher, Noah Strycker, with tips on attracting and feeding your favorite birds and creating bird-friendly landscapes.
Part journal, part field guide, I Love Birds! is chock-full of the activities, information and rich resources that will fuel discovery and inspire families, urban and rural, with everything bird. Through sensory, hands-on, creative explorations that involve birding basics and the how’s and why’s of bird behavior, parents are invited to share the joy of birds with children ages 4 to 8.
A close look at one season in one key site that reveals the amazing science and magic of spring bird migration, and the perils of human encroachment.
Stephen Wilkes’ collected work from the long-abandoned medical wards on Ellis Island.
Photo by Stephen Wilkes, photographed with the permission of the Wildlife Conservation Society.
“Day to Night: In the Field with Stephen Wilkes” is organized and traveled by the National Geographic Society.
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