Plymouth Beach is part of the breathtaking panorama seen from Plimoth Plantation. Few visitors know that this beautiful shoreline plays a crucial role in a complex and ancient system of shorebird migration routes running from the tip of South America to the Arctic tundra. In addition to the threatened and endangered species that breed and nest on this local barrier beach, more than 20,000 migratory birds use the bay as a fuel stop.

Eighty-five striking images by nature photographer Jim Fenton provide a close-up of coastal water bird life to reveal their beauty and behavior. The exhibit was developed in partnership with the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Goldenrod Foundation and Massachusetts Audubon Society, and produced with generous financial support from the Bobolink Foundation, Goldenrod Foundation, Sheehan Family Foundation and others.

At any moment of every day, migratory birds fill the skies of the western hemisphere, journeying from the High Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, across the Atlantic and Pacific, moving by day and night.  Join naturalist and author Scott Weidensaul on an exploration of how and why birds migrate, and the conservation challenges that face them, based on his book, Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds.  The program ranges from the doorstep of the Aleutians in Alaska and the frozen edge of Hudson Bay in Canada to landscapes as exotic as the grassy pampas of Argentina, and as familiar as the barrier islands of the Massachusetts coast.  A presentation filled with the drama of this remarkable phenomenon awaits.  No reservation needed.  Members of Plimoth Plantation $6.50, non-members $8.50.  Flight Path: Plymouth Beach will be open free of charge from 5 pm to 7 pm to all current members of Mass Audubon, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, and Goldenrod Foundation members.

For directions to Plimoth Plantation and more information, log on to www.plimoth.org.