Oxford, England.
1909
Aug. 7 [August 7, 1909]
  Still another calm, cloudless, warm day.
  In the afternoon we went by motor car to Nuneham, 
Dorchester and Ewelme by country roads bordered on both
sides by low hedges beyond which were grass & grain fields
level for the most part and of surprising extent. The heavy-
headed wheat & barley fields were nearly ready for the harvest
& of a pale whitey brown or straw color, the oats less nearly
matured & pale green, the grass fields cut in most cases &
intensely green with short grass. English Sparrows in great
numbers were flying into & out of the grain fields. In
the pasture & mowing lands we saw innumerable Starlings
& Rooks & a few Lapwings. Corn Buntings were singing
everywhere along the roadsides perched in trees & on telegraph
wires. In our place a brace of Partridges crossed the road
flying much in the manner of our Quail. Swifts were
almost constantly in sight and we saw innumerable
Swallows & Martins. Some of the Swallows were perched
on telegraph wires, others on the roofs of houses. I saw one
alight on the top of an old, dilapidated cottage chimney, peer
into it for a moment and then hop with closed wings
down into the flu & out of sight. In 1890 I saw only
one enter a chimney. Wood Pigeons were almost constantly
in sight flying to & fro over the green fields. I saw only
two Skylarks & heard none sing. Wherever there were trees
we heard Robins singing & Finches of several kinds calling.
No Hawks of any kind & no Jays or Magpies were noted
but I saw a Magpie in a field when I was in the
train coming from Liverpool on the 5th. We passed an
extensive & really primitive tract of woods this afternoon. The
trees were fine & old with dense undergrowth beneath them.