Plovers take center stage in College of Lake County exhibit

Local artists and nature lovers help tell the story of the Lake County landscape and the wildlife that depends on it in a new College of Lake County exhibit showcasing photography and artwork on piping plovers.

Titled “Through the Eyes of the Piping Plovers: The Flora, Fauna and Communities of the Lake Plain,” the exhibit includes 57 local artists and their 190 works of art that represent the Lake County habitat. It is showcased at the Robert T. Wright Community Gallery in the “L Wing” of the College of Lake County’s Grayslake campus until the end of March.

“Nearly all of the participating artists are from Lake County and the surrounding suburbs,” according to Carolyn Lueck, president of the Lake County Audubon Society. “Through these pieces, visitors can experience the beauty and fragility of the Lake Plain ecosystem and develop a deeper emotional connection to the birds and habitats we are working to protect.”

The exhibition includes a display of piping plover nesting signs created by Waukegan third grade students. The plover is a small, sparrow-sized shore bird that is considered endangered or threatened because of habitat loss. They are master camouflagers, blending into sand and gravel to avoid predators. They have only recently returned to the Lake Michigan shoreline in Lake County.

A special exhibit within the show features award-winning photography by Steve Jessmore. His 25 large, metal print photographs includes striking wildlife imagery and selections from his well-known ongoing series “Birds Doing Stuff.” He is currently working on a Great Lakes piping plovers book.

The plovers illustrate a larger story about the plants, wildlife and humans that depend on the fragile shoreline landscape. They disappeared from the Lake Michigan shores in 1955 and their recovery and return to Lake County reflects the efforts of groups like the Lake County Audubon Society.

“These small shorebirds nest on the same open beaches that people love,” Jessmore said. “The places where recreation, wildlife and conservation intersect. With fewer than a couple hundred Great Lakes birds remaining, every nest matters.”

Those interested can volunteer as piping plover monitors with the society, lakecountyaudubon.org/getinvolved.

More information about Jessmore is available at stevejessmore.com.