Society's newsletter, contributed hundreds of bird sightings, provided 
     
     'illustrated talks, led field trips, organized the Bain Birdathons of 1980 and 
     
     ‘1981, hosted pot-luck suppers, co-chaired the Island Nature Trust's 
     
     photographic display "Wild Side of the Isle", led amphibian hunts and owl-‘ 
     
     -pr0wls, and in 1982 he became President. After 3 terms, he retired from this 
     
     position but he continued his association with the Society and contributed to 
     
     debates on the proposed cormorant cull and gull/tern interactions at the 
     
     Hillsborough Bridge Piers, continued to provide newsletter articles, led fieldv 
     
     trips, judged science fairs, hosted pot-lucks, and acted as recording 
     
     secretary. In 1987 he combined his skills with those olean McAskill to teach 
     
     "The Birds of Christmas and the Bird House and Bird Feeder Workshop". In 
     
     1988, they again combined their skills to teach this workshop as well as one 
     
     .on "Transplanting Trees and Shrubs fOr Wildlife". ' ' 
     
    

    
     Geoff edited the second edition of the "Field Checklist of Birds for 
     
     Prince Edward Island" and, in the years since, he has been the principal or 
     
     sole editor of 3 new editions of the list. These lists have been an 
     
     invaluable contribution to birding on Prince Edward Island. His contributions 
     
     in the field of birding expanded still further when, in 1986, he wrote the 
     
     Prince Edward Island MuSeum and Heritage Foundation's first Short Study, 
     
     "Spring Bird Migration on Prince Edward Island". In 1988, he donated his 
     
     _writing skills to the Society's colouring book project, Island Wings and 
     
     shortly thereafter he-produced the booklet Twenty-five Best Birding Spots on 
     
     P.E.I. These written contributions recently culminated with the latest 
     
     edition to his works and a lifetime dream, Familiar Birds of Prince Edward 
     
     Island. He is currently consulting with Katherine Clough on a new book on 
     
     Island wildflowers. . - 
     
    

    
     The expansion of bird knowledge requires not only the perSeverance in' 
     
     following bird habits'and movements but also the recognition of the 
     
     distinctive features and behaviors of various birds. Geoff's efforts led to 
     
     the confirmation of the Pileated Woodpecker at Greenwich in 1987. .He holds 
     
     the first records for the Black Vulture, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and most 
     
     recently,,the Thayer's Gull. His calls to others led to the confirmation of 
     
     the American White Pelican on September 23, 1991. Geoff did not keep these. 
     
     skills to himself. Since 1983, he has taught a non-credit bird identification 
     
     course at the University of Prince Edward Island in which he conveys his 
     
     ‘profound interest in birds to many Islanders. ' . ' - ' y 
     
    

    
     In partnership with his sister, Geoff opened the Bird's Eye Nature Store 
     
     in Charlottetown and short1y_after that a branch store at Cavendish. Besides 
     
     the wide selection of gift items for naturalists, the Charlottetown store 
     
     featured a blackboard with the latest bird sightings from across the province, 
     
     a wide selection of field guides and bird specialty books, and excellent 
     
     optical equipment. ‘ 
     
    

    
     Geoff's contributions to the natural history of our province also 
     
     included wildflowers and trees.. Shortly after he purchased his property in 
     
     Springvale, he started the planting of an arboretum utilizing native trees _‘ 
     
     that he grew himself and a variety of cultivars he selected_and ordered. He‘v 
     
     utilizes perennials as well as annual flowerbeds to complete the landsoaping 
     
     plan and, for those who viewed or competed against his entries in the 
     
     Society's photographic contests, the impact of theSe plantings is stunning. 
     
     .In 1989 Geoff helped found the Garden Club of Prince Edward Island and he 
     
     .served as the founding president for the first 2 years of its existence. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Editor's Note: On behalf of all the amateur birders and naturalists that 
     
     you helped, myself included, thanks Geoff, JDM. ' 
     
    
   
   
    
     -6-