Tammis Coffin '87  
Norman Bird Sanctuary

To Know the Birds
The Legacy of
William Holland Drury, Jr.

By Tammis Coffin
Class of 1987

Over twenty years ago, Bill Drury uttered a quote so memorable in class one day that I never forgot it. Indeed, in some way, his comment helped guide the course of my life. Professor William Holland Drury, Jr. was one of a handful of distinguished professors of natural history who left Harvard University in the late 1970s to teach at the newly forming College of the Atlantic, in Maine. Located in Bar Harbor, this college is dedicated to interdisciplinary studies, the environment, and what we call human ecology.

The class was Landforms and Vegetation and a student asked our professor how he had designed a career. That made him a master botanist, ornithologist and geologist all in one. Bill’s answer was delivered slowly and deliberately. He said, “I wanted to know the birds. In order to know the birds, I had to know the plants. In order to know the plants, I had to know the rocks.”

Bill’s story really sank in. It made sense for me as a way to shape my journey through higher education. I was curious about rocks, and so that was where I began. Bill became the enthusiastic advisor for my project to know the rocky beaches of Maine. I explored their geology, plants, wildlife, folk lore, and conservation threats. The project  continued past graduation, guiding me to several continents and leading to a career in environmental research, planning and education.

Bill’s encouragement helped me discover what really interested me and allowed me to follow it in great detail. His untimely death of cancer shook me deeply, for Bill had stood out as one of the finest mentors and teachers that I had ever known. I believe many of his students would say the same thing - that Bill was the one who inspired them
to follow their dreams and become who they really wanted to be.

This year, to my great surprise, I find myself literally walking in Bill Drury’s footsteps. Upon accepting a job as the Director of Education at the Norman Bird Sanctuary, near Newport Rhode Island, I learned that Bill had grown up wandering these very same ridges, wetlands and pastures. Here the future naturalist forged his lifelong connection to nature and his fascination with birds, plants and rocks. In fact, he played a key role in helping Mabel Norman establish the sanctuary and lay out the trails. I have been fortunate to make the acquaintance of Bill’s two sisters, now in their 90s. I have even met some elder artists who studied art with Bill’s father. From them I gathered that William Sr’s style of teaching was as unconventional and inspiring as that of his son.

Walking the trails of Norman Bird Sanctuary with visiting school groups, I often pause. The rocky coast, high ledges, and low growing plants transport me back to the coast of Maine, to many field trips with Bill Drury. Each step reveals a tapestry created by rock, plant and bird. There are intricate stories to be found on every square inch of this wild land.

I am walking in the path of a wonderful teacher and I am honored to be here. I do my best to share my professor’s legacy of reverence and purpose. I try to gently nudge my students towards their inspiration and their delight and towards what awaits their patient, joyous exploration of the natural world. When I get distracted, I remember Bill’s words. Know the rocks… Know the plants… Know the birds.

The William H. Drury, Jr.  Library of Natural History and Reading Room, dedicated in memory to the life and work of Bill Drury was officially opened on the COA campus June 2007.  To read more about the dedication ceremony please click here.