Some cultures have seen birds as messengers of the divine, while Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven,”and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 film “The Birds,” urge one to beware of them. Steve Weinik’s exhibition, “Go Birds: Portraits of Patience,” which opened on July 1 at the Awbury Arboretum’s Cope House Gallery, takes a much different approach.

“This is more than a bird-on-a-stick exhibit,” said Weinik, a Northwest Philadelphia resident whose photographs have been published or broadcast in the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Geographic, CNN, and more. “The [photos’] composition offers something a little bit more interesting.”

The Cope House Gallery features juried shows, explained Sara Robbins, chair of the exhibit space’s Arts Advisory Committee. Robbins, a Mt. Airy native known for her award-winning baskets and loom weaving, serves on the committee with six other artists. “Artists can fill in an online application to exhibit here, but in Steve Weinik’s case, we sought him out,” Robbins said. “His work is stunning.”

Located on 55 acres in the Northwest, the arboretum provides a perfect setting for an exhibition centered on birds, according to Mark Sellers, a member of the Arts Advisory Committee. “The arboretum is a stop for migratory birds,” he said. “We also have bird walks here.”

Weinik’s son Sachin, 12, who also does nature photography, said Awbury’s summer camp, which he is attending, includes learning about birds.

Bird is the word

Long family trips quickened Weinik’s interest in birds. “Both of my parents were teachers and had their summers off,” said Weinik, who grew up in Germantown. “I would spend the time in the car observing birds. I’ve worked as a wildlife photographer since the wildlife lens became cheap enough for me to buy.”

In addition, as a staff photographer for Mural Arts Philadelphia, Weinik documents the work of Philly muralists. His appearance in the documentary “Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles” helped earn the film a spot at the Sundance Film Festival.

“Go Birds” transports viewers to different settings, continents, and moods. In one photo, a bird seems to stare back at the viewer, not aggressively, but declaring its right to space on the planet.

  Another image shows a great horned owl ensconced in a tree hollow in the Wissahickon in 2024. “They’re hard to find, but they’re consistent,” Weinik said. “They don’t go far.” The owl’s feathers match the colors of the tree’s bark, making its yellow eyes all the more startling.

Weinik and Sachin joined forces to find the owl. “You climbed up to a higher trail to get a better view,” Weinik reminded him.

Yet another surprising photograph shows a painted bunting on a slender talk of brown grass against a background of snow. “You rarely see buntings here in winter,” Weinik said. This one may have had something wrong with its navigational sense that made it end up here in winter instead of flying south.”

Raising awareness

Birds anchor the artist in the familiar during his frequent trips abroad. “We were just in Ireland,” said Weinik, who traveled with his family. “We saw three species of crows, all different from the ones in the U.S., but recognizable.”

 One photo in “Go Birds” shows an old stone castle standing on green, rock-strewn ground while jackdaws speckle the sky in the upper-right-hand corner. “A peregrine falcon swooped nearby and scared the jackdaws away,” Weinik said.

Peace and mystery seem to prevail in a photo taken in Mumbai. It shows flamingos standing in water. The pink of their feathers almost throbs against the photo’s deep shadows.

Weinik hopes the images will take viewers beyond visual delight. “The exhibition could be a good entry point for a lot of environmental topics,” he said. “You get into birds and then expand to other issues.”

Sure enough, guests at the show’s opening reception included members of Bird Safe Philly, which works to increase Philadelphians’ awareness of birds’ collisions with buildings. “I’ve known Steve for a long time and I love his work,” said mural artist Eurhi Jones, who helped to develop bird-safe glass. “If you put dots two inches apart on a window, birds recognize the window as glass and don’t crash into it.

Nature photographer Troy Bynum, just back from leading a birding trip to Costa Rica, also attended the reception. In the next few weeks, Weinik and Bynum will give a talk about photographing birds. Check the arboretum’s website for details.

Viewers may leave buoyed not only by these unique images but also by a shift in awareness. “Maybe you’ll be a little more conscious of what’s around you,” Weinik said. And maybe the birds will deliver a message after all. “Birds represent travel and freedom,” Weinik added.

“Go Birds” may also suggest an approach to life a new vision. “Think of the hours it took to get just the right shot,” a guest said. “It’s a whole way of looking at life.”

“Go Birds: Portraits of Patience,” by Steve Weinik, runs through September 2 at the Cope House Gallery, 1 Awbury Road, is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Friday through Sunday by appointment only. Call (215) 849-2855 or email artcommittee@awbury.org.