Science and art converge at 29th Shorebird Festival

Scientists, birders and tourists gather for science, art and education

Shorebirds seen on May 2, 2019 on the Copper River flats. Photo courtesy Milo Burcham/for The Cordova Times

Nearly 30 years ago, the Copper River Delta Shorebird festival began as a small gathering of scientists, birders and tourists eager to witness the migration of millions of shorebirds.

There were many factors at play, but when the Copper River Delta was designated “of hemispheric importance” for shorebird conservation a deeper appreciation for the area and the migration set in. Since then, the small science-based festival has blossomed into a celebration of art and education, encouraging those that don’t consider themselves “a birder” to participate and appreciate this annual event.

Dotty Widmann begins creating a wire Hudsonian godwit during Zack Mclaughlin’s wire shorebird workshop at the Cordova Center on Friday, May 3, 2019. (Photo by Emily Mesner/The Cordova Times)

This year’s keynote speaker, Pete Dunn, the author of 14 books on birding and natural history, praised Cordova for being the “pioneer” and the first of its kind for shorebird festivals. Most of the registered visitors were Alaskans. Visitors also traveled from Wyoming, Washington, Arizona, Washington, D.C., New York, South Dakota, Minnesota, Oregon and Hawaii.

Former shorebird festival coordinator Mimi Briggs is very proud of the festival.

“We’ve evolved and allowed ourselves to evolve and not stay the same,” she said. “That’s a big thing for me, because if you’re going to keep something going for 30 years you need to diversify and make it different.”

New events and activities were added, including boat outings for birders and a bird trivia night at the Reluctant Fisherman. Visiting artist Zack Mclaughlin, a fantasy artist and sculptor, traveled from London to give workshops and speak about his interest and passion for birds. The artist was first contacted by Dotty Widmann, who owns the Net Loft, a local craft and gift shop.

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Zack Mclaughlin, center, helps workshop participants create wire shorebirds during his Shorebird Festival workshop at the Cordova Center on Friday, May 3, 2019. (Photo by Emily Mesner/The Cordova Times)

Some of Mclaughlin’s paper and wood sculptures are on display at the Copper River Gallery art show.

His attention to detail and way he manipulates and cuts paper, realistically mimics the texture of feathers, making his sculptures worth seeing in person.

The first part of his process is research.

“Research stage is really fun,” Mclaughlin explains. “I’m often given a bird I’ve never seen before and to have the opportunity to look at a lot of pictures, research it, all the size and the information about it, so I know it very intimately. All the different shapes and everything, so I can probably identify that bird for the rest of my life now, which is a pretty cool thing.”

Identifying shorebirds is a skill that comes after spending time observing them.

Milo Burcham, a wildlife photographer and wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service, was immediately drawn to photography because it complimented his passion for science and observing the creatures that he was studying.

“Photography and photographing these things that fascinated me, whether just watching, it’s all just equally enjoyable. My wife and I share that now. In our boat, going to McNeil River for bear viewing, she isn’t a scientist, but she just appreciates animals on an individual basis and incorporates them in her art.”

A Western Sandpiper stands on Odiak Slough on Wednesday, May 8. 2019. Photo courtesy Milo Burcham/for The Cordova Times

Art in the festival takes many forms: a shorebird paint night at the Alaskan Bar, a kids concert on the sounds of spring, a wire shorebird workshop, a short eared owl paper sculpture workshop, an art opening at the Copper River Gallery, a photography workshop, a wool painting workshop, a Western Sandpiper paper sculpture workshop and even a ballet.

A Shorebird Friendship Quilt hangs at the Cordova Center on Friday, May 3, 2019. Twenty-three partner organizations across North America contributed to the quilt, which will be displayed in participating communities across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The colorful squares were created by youth in 12 communities and quilted by women from the Peninsula Quilt Guild in Long Beach, Washington. (Photo by Emily Mesner/The Cordova Times)

In the shorebird festival, the lines of art and science are blurred at times. A notable example is the mural on display downstairs in the Cordova Center, made by the second, third and fourth graders of Mt. Eccles Elementary School. The mural features the delta ecosystem and the animals specific to their habitat: flying birds, standing birds and the food for the shorebirds, macro invertebrates. The birds and macro invertebrates are colorfully decorated with googly eyes, feathers and glitter.

Lauren Bien, education director at the Prince William Sound Science Center, said the students had heard about the shorebirds and the festival, but after making the mural “they feel like they are part of the festival.”

While birding often means observing birds from a safe distance, art brings the animal closer and it becomes tangible.

“Details …  noticing detail,” Widmann says, “is what birding is all about, and is what art is all about.”

She helped set up the display of fiber arts in the Copper River Gallery. The birds are “the stars of the show. This is really the artist right here” Widmann said, referring to the shorebirds as she held a bird’s nest donated by Kristina Maxwell. “Those are the artists. We are just appreciating them.”

Paper artist/illustrator Zack Mclaughlin’s Western Sandpiper paper and wood model rests on display after his artist talk during the “Look! A Bird!” art opening at the Copper River Gallery in the Cordova Center on Thursday, May 2, 2019. (Photo by Emily Mesner/The Cordova Times)
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