With shorebirds already beginning to arrive and the 22nd annual Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival running May 8-11, it’s no surprise that several shows opening for First Friday feature birds. Artist Erin Rae D’Eimon exhibits her work in a place filled with fiber art, the Knitty Stash on Main Street. A birder as well as an artist, her paintings of sandpipers and songbirds show she has a naturalist as well as an artistic eye, with a strong sense of detail.

At Ptarmigan Arts, gallery artists focus on the theme of migration, interpreting the idea of birds moving through our skies on as they stop here or continue on to northern breeding grounds. An exhibit of plein aire — art painted outside — at Picture Alaska shows art of the outdoors that includes several images of birds.

Another solo show is that of real-estate agent Chris Story at Fireweed Gallery. Born and raised in Homer, Story’s passion for pottery was fired up at Homer High School with mentor Jack Walsh. He’s returned to ceramics arts in studies with Carl Bice at Kachemak Bay Campus. His show is inspired by ancient Japanese forms.

At Bunnell Street Arts Center, a community art project, “Buoys and Barrels,” facilitated by April Old Town Artist in Residence Jarod Charzewski, remains up. This month’s resident artist, Adrien Segal, will speak on her project, a sculpture that uses scientific and environmental information to inspire art.

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.