2004 PRESIDENTS' REPORT: by Dwaine Oakley

I would like to extend my thanks and best wishes to each member of the Society for their support for and participation in the Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island during 2004. This year, the Society's volunteer Board was led by Dwaine Oakley (President), Ron Arvidson (Vice-president), Fiep de Bie (Secretary), Aria Page and then Nanette Gauthier (Treasurer), Sharon Clark (Publicity Director), Eric Marcum (Program Director), and David Seeler (Past-president).

Besides the informal discussions amongst members and member’s night observations, the Society’s monthly education presentations featured: Dwaine Oakley’s Waterfowl on Prince Edward Island, Don Steeves’s Honey Bees on Prince Edward Island, Dwaine Oakley’s Songbirds: Warblers, Vireos, & Thrushes, Dan McAskill’s Night Sounds of the Island, Eric Marcum’s Songbirds 2: Finches, Sparrows, & Blackbirds, Karen Wilson’s Hedgerows — Do Birds Help: Song Birds Between the Fields, Linda Thomas’s A Helping Hand for Piping Plovers, and Dwaine Oakley’s Thinking about Christmas: The CBC Story. - A special thanks goes out to Jean Blanchard for her service as the lunch coordinator at our meetings. Eric Marcum and Dwaine Oakley led several birding field trips during the year. In total, thanks to the various sightings contributors, the winter bird list reached 114 species.

The use of the bird list program maintained by David Seeler on U.P.E.I.’s server increased dramatically. This prompt method of documentation allowed bird listers to add sightings to their lists and allowed the Society to confirm rare species. In addition, some of the contributor’s E-mails were adapted into Island Naturalist articles.

The Society maintained its participation in various provincial and North American bird count projects. Vernon Laux coordinated the East Point Christmas Bird Count, Gary Schneider and Ruth Richman coordinated the Montague Christmas Bird Count, and Dan McAskill coordinated the RBI. National Park and Hillsborough Christmas Bird Counts as well as the Bain Bird Count. Aija Page of Parks Canada stoked the stove and set up the Dalvay Interpretive Centre for the P.E.I. National Park Christmas Bird Count potluck while Fiep de Bie and Hans Gelens hosted the potluck for the Hillsborough CBC.

In addition to these efforts, the Society supported, reviewed, and provided comments on funding applications for the Wildlife Conservation Fund awards, Dan Kennedy participated in Affiliate Tele-conferences and the regional naturalist meeting with Nature Canada. During the year, the Society donated a subscription to the North American Birds to the Robertson Library at U.P.E.I. In addition, thanks to Donna Martin’s quilt making skills and fund-raising efforts, the Society was able to contribute $1,229 to the Cameron’s Island Bird Banding Station.

Many members contributed their wildlife observations and stories for the Society's Island Naturalist which was published five times this year. Ben Hoteling, Connie Pound Gaudet, Dwaine Oakley, Rudy Stocek, the late Hal Hinds, Dover Colouring Books, P.E.I. National Park, and the RBI. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Forestry provided illustrations and/or drawings. Dan McAskill continued as the editor. Linda and Allen Thomas and their family packaged and mailedthe newsletter to members and schools.

Society members Dan McAskill, David Seeler, Ray Cooke, Eric Marcum, and Island Nature Trust staff combined their efforts to host the annual Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic. The donors contributing to this project provided $965 towards the Trust’s land conservation program. Bruce Smith led the Great Black-backed Gull egg removal project on the Hillsborough Bridge piers to assist the terns nesting there and F iep de Bie continued as the Society’s representative to the Island Nature Trust’s General Council.

The Society’s financial position again remained healthy. Sharon Clark arranged prizes and coordinated ticket sales for the Society’s fund raising draws. Ron Arvidson, By the Sea Kayaking (Paul Sheridan), Sharon Clark, Ben Hoteling, Dan Kennedy, Vern Laux, Rollie MacKinnon, Provincial Forests, Dan McAskill, Dwaine Oakley, Sharon & Robin Neill, Doug Sobey, Therese D’Amour, and Robert Munves gave financial or material gifts to the Society during the year. The Society’s revenues were $1,869.73 while expenses were $3,272.65. The Society completed the year with assets of $7,877.53 in its various accounts with the majority of this in the book publishing and project accounts which are held in a 5 year Guaranteed Investment Certificate valued at $6,355.80.