A Spring Migration Celebration
Sunday, April 23, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30pm
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Pavilion D-18
A FREE Community Event for
Kids, Parents, Scouts, Students, Naturalists & Neighbors!
The South Florida community is invited to experience the wonders of birds, nature and science at the inaugural Marius Robinson Bird Festival — A Spring Migration Celebration at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, April 23, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The family-friendly event will honor late Key Biscayne resident and birder Marius Robinson, and celebrate the annual northbound flight of nearly 150 species of migratory birds that stop to recharge in South Florida on their return to North America from the Caribbean, Central and South America and Mexico.
Featuring enriching outdoor experiences for nature enthusiasts of all ages, the program includes interactive activities, expert talks, field sketching, games, prizes, book readings, binocular demonstrations, and an opportunity to learn about the Cape Florida Banding Station (CFBS), a community science project under the Tropical Audubon Society wing.
The festival is made possible by a generous donation from the Key Biscayne Life Enhancement Forum. The late Mr. Robinson was a businessman, philanthropist, partner, father, grandfather, and naturalist who truly enjoyed Key Biscayne’s natural treasures and avian life, and event organizers, Cape Florida Banding Station, Key Biscayne Community Foundation, Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, are privileged to honor his legacy.
A Tribute to Marius Robinson
“Marius had a passion for nature, science, and medicine. He pursued knowledge and shared it throughout his life,” says Melissa White, Executive Director of the Key Biscayne Community Foundation. “Marius cared, not only about enhancing his quality of life, but that of his loved ones and community members.”
That desire led Marius to establish the Key Biscayne Life Enhancement Forum at the Key Biscayne Community Foundation. The Fund hosts lectures by experts on a range of topics, particularly science, aging, and healthy habits. “We are grateful for Marius's invaluable contributions during his lifetime, and his legacy continues to inspire us,” White says.
Celebrating Spring Migration — Explore the Wonders of Bird Banding
Key Biscayne is a key stopover for migrating birds. Every spring and fall, millions of songbirds alight at Bill Baggs to rest and refuel on their way north or south along the Atlantic Flyway, heading either for North American summering habitats or southern wintering destinations in the Caribbean and South America. Volunteer Community Scientists at Cape Florida Banding Station have now been banding these neotropical migrants for 21 years.
“Spring Migration gives local residents an opportunity to observe migratory songbirds and engage in community science in their own “backyard” here on Key Biscayne,” says CFBS director Michelle Davis. “The festival is a wonderful way to educate and inspire the public about the amazing birds and habitats that make Key Biscayne such a wonderful place to live and visit.”
Festival attendees will have an opportunity to hear from Davis about the important work the station does, take a bird walk and also learn the how-to’s of “bird banding” from a Master Bander, who will demonstrate using an artificial bird the practice of gently removing a captured bird from a mist net, carefully placing a uniquely numbered aluminum band around its leg and then re-releasing it. Each banded bird can then be individually identified if it is recaptured at CFBS or elsewhere. The data gathered enables researchers to study bird migration, flight range, how long birds live and the impacts of climate change over time.
Marius Robinson Biography
When Marius was seven, he and his family migrated to the United States from England, a country severely affected by war. It was in their suburban Boston home surrounded by woods where Marius first discovered his love for nature, particularly birds. Although he obtained a Biology degree from Stanford University, he did not pursue a professional career in the field. Instead, his entrepreneurial drive led him to establish The Robinson Value Group, a money management firm, and settle permanently with his family on Key Biscayne. Nevertheless, his passion for birds remained an unwavering force that inspired his philanthropic pursuits and influenced his travels across various birding hotspots worldwide, such as Mexico, Botswana, Australia, France, Canada, and Chile. Despite his extensive birding expeditions, Key Biscayne remained Marius's favorite birding destination.
Marius Robinson Bird Festival
Organizers
