SOCIETY'S ANNUAL REPORT - 2000: 
     
    
   
   
    
     In 2000, the Society's efforts were led by Ben Hoteling (President), Jim Jenkins (Vice-president), Lois 
     
     Doan (Secretary), Michelle Johnston (Treasurer/Communications), Meike Keunecke (Program Director), Eric 
     
     Marcum (Assistant Program Director), and Ray Cooke (Past-president). 
     
    

    
     The Society‘s monthly education program at the Farm Centre featured: five of a six part bird identification 
     
     course taught by Ray Cooke and Dan McAskill; Bob & Jacob Harding used slides and specimens to speak on 
     
     "Damselflies and Dragonflies of Prince Edward Island"; Katherine Clough spoke on "Mushrooms on P.E.I."; Bob 
     
     Bancroft gave his presentation on "Raptors" (hawks and owls); Bob Thompson spoke on "Sea Ducks and Musscl 
     
     Farming"; Bill Oehlke spoke on "Raising Silkworm Moths", Ray Cooke & Dan McAskill presented "Waterfowl 
     
     Birding on Prince Edward Island"; Jim Jenkins used slides and specimens to depict "Life Along the Shore"; and 
     
     Ray Cooke used slides and CDs to provide his presentation "Using the Bar and Eye, Identification of the More 
     
     Common Birds of P.E.I." 
     
    

    
     Thanks to the coordinating efforts of Meike Keunecke and Michelle Johnston, a very active field trip 
     
     program was again offered. Members car-pooled for a bird field trip to watch the antics and identify overwintering 
     
     waterfowl in February, Dan McAskill, Jim Jenkins, and Meike Keunecke led an Owl Hoot in April, Maurice Roy 
     
     led an amphibian field trip in May, Gary Schneider led a walk celebrating birds at Macphail Woods in May, Ben 
     
     Hoteling and Dwaine Oakley led a bird course field trip to Cavendish while Ray Cooke and Dan McAskill led an 
     
     early morning bird course field trip in the Charlottetown area and an evening trip to northern Queens County area 
     
     in May, Eric Marcum led a field trip to survey breeding birds in June, Rosemary Curley led a field trip for 
     
     butterflies on Confederation Trail for International Butterfly Count Day in July, Linda Thomas and Jim Jenkins 
     
     hosted a Society field trip "Exploring life on the shore" in August, Jacob and Bob Harding led a field trip from 
     
     Mooney's Pond on Dragonflies, Damselflies, and Butterflies in late August, Mark Arsenault and Gerald 
     
     MacDonald led an interpretive walk at Townshend Woodlot and Naufrage River in October, and Linda Thomas 
     
     was the Society's field trip leader in Watching the Shorebird Migration in September at Stanhope. In addition, Jim 
     
     Jenkins offered a "Nest Box Construction" workshop in March. 
     
    

    
     In May, the Society utilized the VolNet Program of Industry Canada to assist with the acquisition of a 
     
     computer and an Internet account. Robin Phillips donated her skills and leadership to research, design and create a 
     
     web site for the Society. Many member contributed photographs or slides that were scanned to be used on the web 
     
     site. This site will be launched in early 2001. The associated Eamail site was created and the Society may now be 
     
     contacted on-line at nhspei@isn.net 
     
    

    
     The Society maintained its participation in various interprovincial or North American bird counts. Gary 
     
     Schneider coordinated and Ruth Richman compiled the Montague Christmas Bird Count. Dan McAskill 
     
     coordinated SuperWatch, the P.E.I. National Park and Hillsborough Christmas Bird Counts, the Bain Bird Count, 
     
     and the International Migratory Bird Count Day. Maurice Roy and Rick Hawkins set up the Dalvay Interpretive 
     
     Centre for the RBI. National Park Christmas Bird Count potluck and Robin Phillips and Dan McAskill hosted the 
     
     potluck for the Hillsborough CBC. 
     
    

    
     Many members contributed their wildlife observations and stories for the Society's Island Naturalist which 
     
     was published three times in 2000. Ben Hoteling, Dr. Andy Hamilton, Donald Wilkinson, and Dover Colouring 
     
     Books provided original drawings. Dan McAskill continued as the editor. Linda and Allen Thomas and their 
     
     family packaged and mailed the newsletter to members and schools. 
     
    

    
     In addition to these efforts, the Society supported, reviewed, and provided comments on funding 
     
     applications for the Wildlife Conservation Fund awards and Ray Cooke, Ben Hoteling, and Dan McAskill provided 
     
     input into the Important Bird Areas regional program sponsored by the Canadian Nature Federation and Bird 
     
     Studies Canada. Dan McAskill Spoke on winter bird feeding in October at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown on 
     
     behalf of the Society and the Island Nature Trust. 
     
    

    
     Society members Linda Thomas, Ray Cooke, Dan McAskill, Eric Marcum, and Island Nature Trust staff 
     
     combined their efforts to host the 5th annual Autumn Birding Classic which was renamed The Neil Bennet 
     
     Autumn Birding Classic in memory of Neil Bennett who passed away suddenly this year. The donors contributing 
     
    
   
   
    
     3