Competitions September 2014

Change to Competition: ALL children between the ages of 7-13 years old may compete in all three categories!

Click below for the three different categories. All children between 7-12 years old can now compete in all categories. Good luck!

Also check out Tips & Tricks with helpful info on the assignments and on St Maarten’s Birds.

Photo Competition

Make a photo of a bird on your school premises or around your home and identify the bird

Admissions will be judged on:

o Correct Identification

o Quality of photo and

o Setting: Can we see photo was taken at home/ school?

o Composition, Colour

Click here for Tips & Tricks to make that great bird photo! You’ll also find Bird Identification info there.

Drawing Competition

Draw one of St Maarten’s birds which are endemic to our region

Admissions will be judged on:

o The subject chosen: Is the drawn bird endemic to the Lesser Antilles and can it be found on St Maarten/ St Martin?

o How well does the drawing resemble the actual bird

o Quality of drawing

o Materials used

Click here for Tips & Tricks to make that great bird drawing! You’ll also find St Maarten Bird Identification info there.

Writing Competition

Write an essay (max. 1 page Letter or A4 size) on a migratory bird which visits St Maarten

Admissions will be judged by Coordinator of The Kids Herald Lucinda Frye amongst others on:

o The subject chosen: Is it a migratory bird which visits St Maarten/ St Martin?

o Whether and how well the following has been described:

Bird species and Type of bird,
Where (its habitat) and when can it be seen on St Maarten/ St Martin,
What does it eat,
Why does it visit us,
Where does the bird breed,
Ideas of how St Maarten/ St Martin can make sure this bird will keep coming back to visit us

o Additional images, drawings, graphs or anything which complements the essay and makes it more fun to read

Click here for Tips & Tricks to write a great essay! You’ll also find St Maarten Bird Identification info there.

The Prizes

With a big Thank You to Sponsors Seagrape Tours, The Nature Foundation and Sint Maarten Birding

The Prize Giving will be on Saturday the 11th of October during the Migratory Bird Festival organized by Les Fruits de Mer

3x First Prize

Full Day Peak, Pond & Snorkel Tour incl Lunch for Two*

3x Second Prize

boat trip nf

Half Day Wildlife Watching Boat Trip in Lagoon for Two*

3x Third Prize

Half Day Birdwatching Tour for Two*

*For Two: the winning child plus one parent or guardian

Deadline October 2nd 8pm

Submit your photo, drawing or essay at the latest at on Thursday the 2^nd of October 2014:

Per Email: seagrapetours@gmail.com

Or on paper at:

The Nature Foundation during office hours Monday to Friday at Wellsberg Street, Cole Bay (next to Island Water World) or
The Philipsburg Jubilee Library during opening hours

Make sure the submission has your name, your group and age, your school name and a phone number where we can get hold of you or your parent/ guardian in case you have won a prize!

Supporters & Judges

Judges Photos

Judges Drawings

Judges Essays


Wildlife Photographer and Bird Watcher	Author of The Incomplete Guide to the Wildlife of St Martin and Wildlife Photographer


Manager The Nature Foundation	St Martin Artist


Coordinator Kids Herald	Director Philipsburg Jubilee Library

All submissions will also be judged by Ilja Botha, organizer of the Birds of St Maarten Competition. Ilja and her husband David are the owners of Seagrape Tours.