The public is invited to a free festival celebrating St. Martin’s migratory birds this Saturday, October 11th! The Migratory Bird Festival will be held from 9am to noon at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter. The event will include the launch of a new coloring book: Amuseum Around Me. The book will be available for free at the event while supplies last. Kids can dive right into the books at the festival’s coloring station. Guests can also play fun bird games in the Amuseum’s gardens, and explore the museum exhibits and grounds. A special snail station will also highlight island snails.

“We’re super excited to host the Migratory Bird Festival and launch this fantastic new book!” said Jenn Yerkes, President of the Les Fruits de Mer association. “This new book is something kids can use at the Amuseum and bring home to continue learning and discovering.

Like the other books in the Around Me series, Amuseum Around Me is bilingual in English and French, and is also a nature journal where kids can record their own observations and make their own drawings of animals that live on St. Martin. Free copies of the book at the event were funded by the State and the Collectivité of St. Martin through the Politique de la Ville program. The book will also be given to students when they make class visits to Amuseum Naturalis.

Festival guests can enjoy BirdSleuth Caribbean activities like Bird Bingo and the Bird Habitat Scavenger hunt. These activities were adapted specifically for the Caribbean, featuring local birds and nature. They are perfect for kids and families to enjoy in the Amuseum’s gardens.

This year there will also be a snail station, where guests can learn all about St. Martin’s snails. Our snails are an important food for many of the migratory birds that come to our island.

The Migratory Bird Festival will take place from 9am to noon on Saturday, October 11th. It will be held at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House on the hill above Coconut Grove in French Quarter. The event is proudly sponsored by Delta Petroleum.

Amuseum Around Me was produced with support from the Collectivité de Saint-Martin and the Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires. The book project is supported by the Politique de la ville de Saint-Martin, implemented by the State and the Collectivité de Saint-Martin. The book is also available for purchase on amazon.com worldwide, and as a free download at http://lesfruitsdemer.com.

The public is invited to a free festival celebrating St. Martin’s migratory birds this Saturday, November 16th! The Migratory Bird Festival will be held from 9am to noon at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter. The event will include the launch of a new bird coloring book: Migratory Birds Around Me. The book will be available for free at the event while supplies last. Kids can dive right into the books at the festival’s coloring station. Guests can also play fun bird games in the Amuseum’s gardens, learn about the science of bird tracking, and explore the museum exhibits and grounds.

“We’re super excited to host the Migratory Bird Festival and launch this fantastic new book!” said Jenn Yerkes, President of the Les Fruits de Mer association. “The book is a great showcase for the birds that migrate here each year.”

Like the other books in the Around Me series, Migratory Birds Around Me is bilingual in English and French, and is also a nature journal where kids can record their own observations and make their own drawings of local species. Free printed copies will be given away at the event thanks to sponsor Delta Petroleum.

In addition to discovering the new book, festival guests can enjoy BirdSleuth Caribbean activities like Bird Bingo and the Bird Habitat Scavenger hunt. These activities were adapted specifically for the Caribbean, featuring local birds and nature. They are perfect for kids and families to enjoy in the Amuseum’s gardens.

“Our migratory birds are truly incredible,” said Mark Yokoyama, co-founder of the Les Fruits de Mer association. “These birds travel thousands of kilometers each year and connect St. Martin with the rest of the Americas. We’re helping people learn more about them with a Motus station at the Amuseum. It uses antennas to track birds that are wearing tiny transmitters. It is one of the very first stations of its kind in the Caribbean.”

The Migratory Bird Festival will take place from 9am to noon on Saturday, November 16th. It will be held at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House on the hill above Coconut Grove in French Quarter. The event is proudly sponsored by Delta Petroleum.

Migratory Birds Around Me was produced with support from the Collectivité de Saint-Martin and the Agence nationale de la cohésion des territoires. The book project is supported by the Politique de la ville de Saint-Martin, implemented by the State and the Collectivité de Saint-Martin. The book is also available for purchase on amazon.com worldwide, and as a free download at http://lesfruitsdemer.com.

The annual Migratory Bird Festival is organized by the Les Fruits de Mer association. The 2019 event was made possible by the generous support of this year’s sponsors: 97150, Animal Hospital of St. Maarten, Belair Beach Hotel, BirdsCaribbean, BZSE, Caraïbes Numeric Print, Delta Petroleum, Dynaf, Etna Ice Cream, Hotel L’Esplanade, Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Trakx Design, White Sands Beach Club and Yacht Club Port de Plaisance.

The annual Migratory Bird Festival is organized by the Les Fruits de Mer association. The 2019 event was made possible by the generous support of this year’s sponsors: 97150, Animal Hospital of St. Maarten, Belair Beach Hotel, BirdsCaribbean, BZSE, Caraïbes Numeric Print, Delta Petroleum, Dynaf, Etna Ice Cream, Hotel L’Esplanade, Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Trakx Design, White Sands Beach Club and Yacht Club Port de Plaisance.

The annual Migratory Bird Festival is organized by the Les Fruits de Mer association. The 2019 event was made possible by the generous support of this year’s sponsors: 97150, Animal Hospital of St. Maarten, Belair Beach Hotel, BirdsCaribbean, BZSE, Caraïbes Numeric Print, Delta Petroleum, Dynaf, Etna Ice Cream, Hotel L’Esplanade, Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Trakx Design, White Sands Beach Club and Yacht Club Port de Plaisance.

On Saturday, hundreds of kids roamed garden paths looking for signs of birds. They dipped nets into huge old boiling coppers to find tadpoles and aquatic insects. They decorated their own bird backpacks to take home, and learned how their own family story is part of the island’s history. Learning has never looked so fun!

It was a beautiful sunny day during the island’s rainiest month, and over 250 people came out to enjoy the seventh annual Migratory Bird Festival at Amuseum Naturalis. The festival celebrates the birds that travel thousands of miles each year to come to St. Martin. It also celebrates the the things that make St. Martin special to both birds and people.

“This year’s festival was really special because we were able to provide buses for schools and youth groups,” said festival organizer Jenn Yerkes. “We were able to reach more youth than ever, and it is all thanks to our sponsors. It’s not enough to have a free event if the kids can’t get there, so we want to do this even more in the future.”

At the Portable Pond Station, people learned about all the underwater animals that many birds come to St. Martin to eat. They could even see them up close under the microscope. Kids explored the gardens and paths while playing Bird Bingo and a habitat scavenger hunt from the BirdSleuth Caribbean program. They also learned about pelicans and how plastic can harm birds.

In the craft area, kids and adults decorated canvas backpacks with bird art. They took the backpacks home, to use instead of plastic bags. The mobile media and learning hub IdeasBox was also at the event, bringing books, games and tablets loaded up with videos and e-books about St. Martin’s birds.

Heritage preservation work was also done at the event. One team of volunteers recorded oral history interviews with event visitors. Another team showcased the mobile heritage preservation station, scanning photos and giving advice on how to preserve pictures. Visitors saw how many things can be learned from photos, and how family stories and photos are part of the island’s history.

The annual Migratory Bird Festival is organized by the Les Fruits de Mer association. The 2019 event was made possible by the generous support of this year’s sponsors: 97150, Animal Hospital of St. Maarten, Belair Beach Hotel, BirdsCaribbean, BZSE, Caraïbes Numeric Print, Delta Petroleum, Dynaf, Etna Ice Cream, Hotel L’Esplanade, Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Trakx Design, White Sands Beach Club and Yacht Club Port de Plaisance.

People of all ages are invited to learn about amazing traveling birds at the seventh annual Migratory Bird Festival this Saturday. They can also share their memories of the island to help preserve local heritage and stories. The free festival runs from 9am to noon at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter.

“St. Martin is special to everyone who lives here, but it is also very special to birds,” said Les Fruits de Mer co-founder Mark Yokoyama. “Birds travel thousands of miles to live in St. Martin during the fall and winter. They depend on the fish and crabs in the island’s ponds, and the insects in our forests and fields. They’ve been coming here for millions of years, and the festival is a great way to learn about them and the island we share.”

There are many fun things to do at the festival. You can see the incredible underwater world of insects, fish and crabs at the Portable Pond Discovery Station. You can test your detective skills with BirdSleuth activities. You can hear the calls of some of our migratory birds, and see how your wingspan measures up to theirs. You can also add bird art to a cotton backpack, and bring it home with you to use instead of plastic bags.

“We’ll also have some great heritage activities at the festival this year,” explained Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “We will be recording oral histories, and we’ll have a heritage preservation station. If you bring old photos or other items, we can scan them for you. You can also learn how these photos teach us about the culture and history of the island.”

The festival is organized each year by the Les Fruits de Mer association. This year, several guests will also be leading activities. There will be a showcase of IdeasBox, a mobile library and learning hub that recently launched on St. Martin. The St. Maarten Nature Foundation will be presenting research on pelicans and what we can do to reduce plastic trash.

The Migratory Bird Festival is free. It lasts from 9am to noon on Saturday, November 9th, rain or shine. It will be held at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House on the hill above Galion Beach in French Quarter. For more information, visit http://lesfruitsdemer.com or find Les Fruits de Mer on Facebook. The event is made possible by the 2019 sponsors: 97150, Animal Hospital of St. Maarten, Belair Beach Hotel, BirdsCaribbean, BZSE, Caraïbes Numeric Print, Delta Petroleum, Dynaf, Etna Ice Cream, Hotel L’Esplanade, Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Trakx Design, White Sands Beach Club and Yacht Club Port de Plaisance.

The Les Fruits de Mer association is thrilled to launch their new mobile heritage preservation studio. The portable studio can go anywhere. It is made to capture and preserve culture and heritage through oral history and other forms of archiving.

“We wanted to create a small mobile system so we could record heritage all over the island,” said Mark Yokoyama, co-founder of Les Fruits de Mer and Amuseum Naturalis. “It’s simple, it’s not pricey and it lets us document heritage on the go.”

The studio includes a scanner for photos, letters, and memorabilia, and a photo kit for heritage objects. A basic audio and video kit makes it easy to record interviews. Island Gems generously donated some of the items needed for the studio.

“Over time, photos, letters, diaries, and other memorabilia become key records of culture, heritage and history. They are vital clues to how people lived in a previous era,” explained Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “They aren’t just valued for personal or family history. They become part of the history of the island. So when these things are lost, or damaged in a disaster like Irma, it’s a loss to the whole island. Digitizing them creates a backup for people and families. It also preserves the culture and history of the island.”

The studio will officially launch at Les Fruits de Mer’s 2019 Migratory Bird Festival. At the event, volunteers will be using it to record oral histories. The festival is free to all, and everyone is invited to come share their stories. People can also bring their heritage photos, letters and other items for scanning. 

The festival will feature fun activities for all ages, like birdwatching, bird-themed games, discovery stations, and arts and crafts. It will take place Saturday November 9th from 9am to noon at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House on the hill above Le Galion in French Quarter. The event is made possible by the 2019 sponsors: 97150, Animal Hospital of St. Maarten, Belair Beach Hotel, BirdsCaribbean, BZSE, Caraïbes Numeric Print, Delta Petroleum, Dynaf, Etna Ice Cream, Hotel L’Esplanade, Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Trakx Design, White Sands Beach Club and Yacht Club Port de Plaisance.

The arrival of fall heralds a change in the seasons—even in the Caribbean. The days grow shorter and the fierce heat of the sun lessens. Countless birds journey to their winter homes in the tropics. All over the region, Caribbean people celebrate World Migratory Bird Day and the birds that come here every year.

In the Caribbean, about a third of the 500 often seen species of birds are summer or winter visitors. More than 60 events on 20 Caribbean islands are already lined up to celebrate these amazing birds. More than 80,000 residents and visitors will join in the activities, led by Environment for the Americas and BirdsCaribbean.

On St. Martin, the seventh annual Migratory Bird Festival will be held at Amuseum Naturalis on Saturday, November 9th from 9am to noon. The free festival tells the story of these amazing birds with expositions, discovery stations, art activities and more. People of all ages can get to know these birds and learn why St. Martin is so important to them.

The 2019 theme for World Migratory Bird Day is Protect birds: Be the solution to plastic pollution. Plastic pollution is a worldwide problem and a great threat to birds. Since the 1950s, we have made an estimated 8.3 billion tons of plastic. Over 90% of plastic is not recycled and ends up in our landfills and natural spaces.

Plastic can hurt birds in many ways. Birds mistake floating plastics like bags, drinking straws and bottles for food. Parent birds feed plastic to their chicks. Swallowing sharp plastic can kill birds by piercing organs. Birds can starve with stomachs full of plastic, and birds can die after being trapped in plastic waste or fishing line.

Residents and visitors of all ages are invited to the Migratory Bird Festival from 9am to noon on November 9th at Amuseum Naturalis in French Quarter. The festival is made each year by the Les Fruits de Mer association. Contact the Les Fruits de Mer to volunteer or become a sponsor. To learn more about the festival and see photos and videos from previous years, visit: http://www.lesfruitsdemer.com/events/migratory-bird-festival/

Despite the rain, over 150 guests of all ages found fun new ways to learn about birds at the Migratory Bird Festival on Saturday. Created by an all-volunteer team from the Les Fruits de Mer association, this year’s festival took place at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter.

“This was our sixth Migratory Bird Festival, so we created a lot of new activities to keep it fresh,” explained Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “You could listen to bird sounds and measure yourself compared to local birds. People loved decorating their own bird tote bags and playing Bird Bingo in the gardens.”

The Migratory Bird Festival celebrates the birds that travel thousands of miles each year to live in St. Martin. They connect this tiny island to the rest of the Americas. The festival also highlights the things these birds need to survive. At the Portable Pond, guests could see aquatic insects and other creatures that many migratory birds eat. The Habitat Scavenger Hunt sent kids looking for food, shelter and other things that birds depend on.

“This was our first Migratory Bird Festival at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House,” commented Les Fruits de Mer co-founder Mark Yokoyama. “It was the perfect place, with lots of indoor and outdoor space to explore. Many people from French Quarter came to the festival, and we want to keep building the connection between the town and the Amuseum.”

The 2018 Migratory Bird Festival was made possible by a team of 20 wonderful volunteers. The festival was free thanks to the support of its sponsors: L’Auberge Gourmand, BZSE, Coalys, Delta Petroleum, ECOFIP, Frigodom, IZI LIGHT, Lagoonies, Pelikaan Brewery, St. Martin’s Sweetness and SXM Logistics. To see highlights from the festival, visit http://lesfruitsdemer.com or find Les Fruits de Mer on Facebook.