Staff Report

The Valley Oak Gallery at the Wildling Museum of Art & Nature has gone to the birds.

George Lockwood, The Settlers, acrylic

“Our Feathered Friends: Birds of the Tri-Counties” features the paintings of Jim Hodgson, René C. Reyes and George Lockwood, who share their unique artistic perspectives of bird species that can be found in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties.

Santa Barbara County and the region are renowned for bird diversity and are a hotspot for birders with the Central Coast a stop along the migratory Pacific Flyway.

Also in the gallery a monitor will be showing a short film by Michael Love, “The Snowy Plover and You.” Featured in the NatureTrack Film Festival, this film documents the decline in population of the snowy plover and how it can be reversed.

During the exhibition there will be birding lectures and excursions to expand patrons’ knowledge of local birds.

For more information, go to www.wildlingmuseum.org or call 805-686-8315.