For the Birds: Pine Lake’s Long Tradition of Learning in Nature
When Hartwick College acquired Pine Lake in 1971, the goal was not only to expand academic offerings but to create a living laboratory where students could engage directly with the natural world. Birding quickly became a centerpiece of that experience, drawing interest from students, faculty and the surrounding community. Early efforts to document the site’s rich bird population included detailed observations by longtime chemistry professor J. Robert “Bob” Miller and his wife, Jean Miller, whose work helped shape some of the earliest records of bird life at Pine Lake and guided visitors along designated “bird walk” paths.
That tradition of hands-on learning continued with summer courses such as Field Ornithology and Bird Study in the Field, in which students conducted observations, participated in group bird walks and completed independent research. In 1996, local sixth-grade students from Riverside Elementary School in Oneonta spent a week immersed in bird study at Pine Lake, culminating in the creation of a field guide for visitors.
Today, Pine Lake remains central to Hartwick’s academic and recreational experiences, offering opportunities for research, observation and reflection, and continuing to foster an appreciation for the natural world.
A Field Guide to Birds at Pine Lake by the 6th grade students at Riverside Elementary School, Oneonta. 1996.
The 6th graders spent a school week (Sept. 30 – Oct 4) at the Pine Lake Environmental Center with their teachers, Mr. Allan Bowers and Mrs. Karen Rowe. The 49 students were immersed in a hands-on study of birds indigenous to this Susquehanna flyway site. Students were challenged to create a bird field guide book which was published online and in hard copy for the use and enjoyment of all Pine Lake visitors. The book was dedicated to Mrs. Minette.
Birds of Pine Lake, based on the 1971-1976 observations of J. Robert Miller.
Birds of Pine Lake, based on the 1971-1973 observations of J. Robert Miller.
“Good Bird Walk Paths” map drawn by Jean Miller, from Birds of Pine Lake.
The creators of these items are J. Robert (Bob) Miller, a Hartwick professor of chemistry for more than 30 years, who helped the college acquire the Pine Lake campus and created innovative field courses on birds. And his wife, Jean Miller, who co-authored one of the earliest reports on the inhabitants of Pine Lake, and who left a lasting legacy as a founder of the Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society.
In the 1970s Hartwick offered two summer biology courses about birds conducted primarily at Pine Lake: Bird Study in the Field and Field Ornithology. Students observed and identified birds, participated in group bird walks and worked on intensive independent research projects and theses. [Individuals not identified]
Photos are part of the collection in Hartwick College Paul F. Cooper, Jr. Archives.
