The Bird Watching Journals Of Princeton Professor Harry L. Savage

Two bird watching manuscript journals, 3 3/4 x 6, approximately 175 pp, ink and pencil, with granular detail, entries dated from 1911 – 1969 and somewhat intermittent.   The author is identified as Henry L. Savage, a professor at Princeton from 1914 to 1936.  His entries include several drawings of the birds he encountered from a number of locations including Cape Cod (Chatham), MA, Flagstaff Pond, ME, Stony Brook, near Princeton, Nassau, N.P., Bahamas “in a field between Negro dwellings – a deserted lot.”  Savage names dozens of breeds and describes their appearance. – the plumage, breast, wing span, brood – and their songs.   He mentions swamps and locations and the “furious” blizzard of 1914.

In very small part, “While in the woods near Black Pond, a small bird arose, sprang into the air...went to a song...”

“July 24th, 1913...Hawk – American Rough Legged...surrounded by waving swamp grass. Occasionally he would hover for a moment and then drop. Recognized by white blotch...[on] the tail.”

...I saw one young Tern with something in his mouth and his throat widely disturbed. Kneeling down I gently pulled it out & found a small, minute fish. I replaced it and he sucked & swallowed it down again...One of the old birds made an attempt to swoop at us. On our return, the Terns were hovering...about the land. Tom Pennyhacker said that they had probably discovered a rat attacking their young ones. Their impression was afterwards confirmed by Water Eldridge after we had returned...

“August 3rd, Saturday, 1912...Chatham...American Herring Gull. These gulls were very large. When they rose, they [had] a gravel appearance with their black head, colored wings & gray bodies...When we approached, they made a gravel impression for unlike the Terns, they rose in bodies & troops...

“Male & females Yellow Warbler. I distinguished them from the female of the American Goldfinch by their flight, which had none of the bouncing motion, which the goldfinch has...

“American Mud here, a conspicuous white hatch on the head or bill, too large for the eye...

“September 3rd, 1912...Red Breasted Nuthatch. This bird was seen busily licking larvae & insects from the apple trees, hopping about the branches of these trees with great unconcern...

A small hawk was seen while paddling on the lake. There was a great chorus of the frogs...

“The Maryland Yellow Throat female. She was very hard to identify and indeed would not have been identified had not Mr. Whittle assured me and made it certain. The Massal Hawk identified by a white patch and his square tail. The Chimney Swift...Mr. Whittle [identified]...

“August 20th 1913...I saw what considered to be the Black Ruel and her brood...Several times I noticed that the brood was led out into clear water, the mother leading...

Expected toning. One journal is missing front and back boards with some loosening to pages. 

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