Oxford
Ther. [Thermometer] SAT. [Saturday] JULY 15, 1911 Wea. [Weather]
White-throats nest. Dull
Cloudy & cool, clearing in late P.M.
Chiff-chaff & Green Finches in full song
Wood Pigeons cooing freely. Hedge Sparrows
singing a little. Other birds silent.
  Went down town at 10 A.M. Made
second draft of 20 [twenty pounds] on my letter credit.
Called at picture store & paid 4 guineas
for 2 copies golf picture to be sent by
mail to Cambridge. Spent an hour
in beautiful Wadham gardens. A
Chiff-chaff & Greenfinches in full song &
Wood Pigeon cooing every four minutes.
Saw a Lesser White-throat with bill full
of insect food & followed her to nest 5
nearly fledged young among ivy on wall.
At 4.30 P.M. went to the Gordons' to
afternoon tea. About a dozen there
mostly ladies & English. Tea cake bread
ice cream & cherries served on lawn. George
sang in parlor. He has a superb & well
trained voice. E. [Elizabeth R. Simmons] & I went to the Park after
dinner (8-9). Wood Pigeons cooing but no bird
sang. Grass wholly dried up & dead looking
now, never saw it so bad at home
[margin]Saw a small toad in Park (in walk.)[/margin]
Oxford - Henley
Ther. [Thermometer] SUN. [Sunday] JULY 16, 1911 Wea. [Weather]
78 [degrees] Fine
Clear & warm with light N.W. [northwest] breeze.
C. [Caroline Brewster] & I walked around the University
Park soon after breakfast. Wood Pigeons
cooing everywhere, several Marsh Tits singing
one Robin in nearly full song. A Pied
Wagtail running over the turf. Flycatchers
on fence ports. Met an eccentric-seeming,
poorly-dressed little woman who stopped &
began talking with us about birds. Learned
afterwards that she is a Miss Tennyson, a
near relative of the great poet. She was most
interesting & evidently very familiar with birds.
She tells me that nightingales are abundant about
Oxford & that Red Shanks nest six miles off
along the Thames above the town. All the
Jeffersons except Gorham lunched with us at 1.30.
At 4 George, Ruth, Franny & Hampy started for
Henley with me in Annis's motor car. We
had a swift & delightful ride. Saw a fine
[male] Brambling on tel. wire. In fields saw
2 [?] [?] on wing that looked like
Stone Curlews. George & I alighted at the Red
Lion Inn to spend night. Walked along Thames
for half a mile before dinner. Saw a Wagtail,
Red-backed Shrike, hosts of Martins etc.
Lots of Mute Swans, very tame. Spent
evening in Inn talking & smoking