Signature photo by William Burt for his exhibition opening Friday at the Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library of a Purple Gallinule feasting in Palm Beach County, Fla.,

The Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library presents an opening reception for ‘William Burt: New Photographs & Old’ on Friday, Oct. 17,  from 5 to 7 p.m. A Gallery Talk will take place at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

The show samples Burt’s photography of the familiar wetland scenes as well as the rare and elusive birds and their downy young. Most photographs selected were made locally within the Connecticut River estuary, but included also are one each respectively from Florida, North Dakota, and Saskatchewan.

William Burt is a naturalist, photographer and writer with a passion for wild places and elusive birds – especially marshes, and the shy birds within.  His photographs and stories are seen in major U.S. publications and he is the author of three books: Shadowbirds (1994); Rare & Elusive Birds of North America (2001); and Marshes: The Disappearing Edens (2007).

He lectures often, and his traveling exhibitions have shown at some 35 museums across the U.S. and Canada. Museum quality archival pigment prints will be for sale by the artist at www.williamburt.com. A portion of the proceeds go to benefit the Library.

The Library is located at 2 Library Ln., off Lyme St. in Old Lyme. Winter hours are Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m; Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m; Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call 860-434-1684 or visit www.oldlyme.lioninc.org to register on the Events calendar.