For Immediate Release: April 7, 2006

Sharing Watershed: Honoring Birds, Two:
A Program Series in Honor of the Bay Area’s Shore Birds

(Oakland, CA) Dance, movement, music and poetry are all for the birds when Lakeview Branch Library of Lake Merritt celebrates its feathered friends in a weekend program series titled Sharing Watershed: Honoring Birds, Two. Starting Saturday, April 29, and running through Monday, May 1, interdisciplinary artist Patricia Bulitt and pals will be dancing, bird-watching, and poetry-reciting to honor and share knowledge about our local bird population, be they migrating visitors dropping in for a spring visit or long-time residents like Helen and Hector, the legendary white pelicans who lived at Lake Merritt for 29 years.

Bulitt’s Artist In Watershed project works in association with the Urban Creeks Council to present outdoor, site-specific performances, workshops, and children's programs. She has presented earlier versions of Sharing Watershed programs in Berkeley's Tilden Park in 2005 and at Lake Merritt in 2004. Passionate about our natural world, Bulitt’s dances and events celebrate landscape, memory, and imagination. Join Patricia Bulitt in this very special series at Lakeview Branch, 550 El Embarcadero.

Migrating Woman with Bird, Two -- A Dance Performed by Patricia Bulitt

Saturday, April 29, 3 pm

Patricia Bulitt presents this solo, improvised dance combining storytelling and movement in honor of our region’s shore birds. She will wear an original paper costume, hand-painted by Lauren McIntosh. Discussion and refreshments will follow the performance. All ages welcome.

Fledglings and Fly In -- Bird Dance/Bird Walk at Lake Merritt

Sunday, April 30, 4 pm

Walk Lake Merritt as dancer Patricia Bulitt presents a site-specific performance accompanied by master trumpet player Marina Garza. Garza plays with the Montclair Women’s Big Band and teaches jazz improvisation at the Jazz School in Berkeley . Rusty Scalf, a bird instructor at Albany Adult School , will point out and share knowledge of the local birds. Binoculars are recommended. Please note that the library is closed on Sunday, so meet at the lake-side door of Lakeview Branch at 4 pm to join the Bird Walk. All ages welcome.

In Sky With Wings – A Poetry Reading and Writing Workshop

Monday, May 1, 6:30 to 8 pm

Nevada City poet Chris Olander joins poet/dancer Patricia Bulitt reading original poetry honoring birds. Olander works in association with Poets in the Schools and the annual Watershed Poetry Festival in Berkeley. Bring your bird-inspired poetry to share. We will build a collective “bird poem.” Teens and adults are welcome.

All Sharing Watershed programs are free and made possible with generous support from East Bay Community Foundation, Open Circle Foundation, and Clorox Company Foundation. Thanks also to the Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation. For more information, call (510) 238-7344 or see the Library's Web site: www.oaklandlibrary.org. Please refrain from wearing scented products. To request sign interpretation, or other accommodation, call the number above or (510) 834-7446 (TTY) at least five working days prior to the event. The Oakland Public Library is a department of the City of Oakland.

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Pictures are available by request.