ENVIRONMENTAL CALENDAR: Note: All Society presentations and field trips are open to the public. YN = young naturalists encouraged to attend or participate Sept. 29 - Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project will host Autumn in the Woods, a family walk along the trails looking at plants and animals beginning at Macphail Woods Nursery at 2 pm Oct. 1 - Gary Schneider will be the quest speaker at the Natural History Society's Meeting with the presentation "Native Plants". The meeting starts at 7:30 pm at the Farm Centre on University Avenue in Charlottetown. Oct. 5 - The Natural History Society’s Birding Team will again lead the Island Nature Trust’s Neil Bennett Autumn Birding Classic bird count fund raiser. Ifyou would like to offer a pledge in support of the Trust’s acquisition of Bird Island in Malpeque Bay, please call 566-9150 and make a pledge. Oct. 12 - The Provincial Forest Fall Frolic 4 km and 12.3 km runs will be held at New Harmony Demonstration Woodlot near Souris. For details call the Eastern District Forestry Office at 961-7296. Oct. 23 - Dan McAskill will be presenting “Feeding Winter Birds” at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown starting at 7:30 pm. Oct. 24 - Jackie Waddell will be giving the illustrated presentation “Feeding Winter Birds” at the Eptek Centre in Summerside starting at 7:30 pm. Nov. 2 - Island Nature Trust’s 17'” Annual Seeds of Conservation Bird Seed Sale will be held from 9:00 am to 2 :00 pm at three convenient locations: the Charlottetown Farmers Market, Eptek Centre in Summerside, and Lorne MacDougald’s in Mill River East. Nov. 5 - Eric Marcum will be the quest speaker at the Natural History Society's Meeting with the presentation "Waterfowl Identification". The meeting starts at 7:30 pm at the F aim Centre on University Avenue in Charlottetown. Dec. 3 - The Society’s members will be the speakers at the Natural History Society's "Natural History Stories and Memorabilia“. Come and tell us about your sightings on the Island or elsewhere and bring along some natural history props (slides, pictures, sketches, etc) if you have them. Please contact Eric Marcum to arrange audio visual equipment and to book a space on the presentation program. The meeting starts at 7:30 pm at the Farm Centre on University Avenue in Charlottetown. Dec. 14 - P.E.I. National Park Audubon Christmas Bird Count. There will be a pot-luck at lunch at the Dalvay Interpretive Centre. Field counters must pay a $5 registration fee while feeder watchers within the count area can participate free of charge. Contact Dan McAskill at 569-4351 or E-mail at nhspei@isn.net for information or to register. Dec. 15 - The Island’s newest Christmas Bird Count is again being organized by Vernon Laux for East Point. You can contact Vernon at 508-693-8070 in Martha’s Vineyard, at his North Lake home at 902-357-2270, or by E-mail at vernlaux@earthlink.net Dec. 28 - P.E.I. National Park Audubon Christmas Bird Count. There will be a pot-luck after the event for participants. Field counters must pay a $5 registration fee while feeder watchers within the count area can participate free of charge. Contact Dan McAskill at 569-4351 or E-mail at nhspei@isn.net for information to register. Jan. 1 - Membership renewal time for Natural History Society. Jan. 4 - The Montague Christmas Bird Count. This is an unregistered CBC and is therefore free of charge for participants. Contact Gary Schneider at 659-2081 or Email at garyschneider@pei.sympatico.ca for information to register. Jan. 7 - The Natural History Society‘s Annual General Meeting. Guest speaker will be announced in the next newsletter. NOTE: The Christmas Bird Count period includes a three day window before and after the count day for the observation of species not seen during the count day. For more information, please contact your count coordinator. 14