Joseph S. Dixon (1893 - 1952)
Field Ornithologist

Joseph S. Dixon collected dozens of bird specimens from the La Grange area during the month of December 1915. These specimens are on record at the U. C. Berkeley Museum of Vertebrate Zoology. He provided the fist records for over 40 bird species in Stanislaus County. After graduating from U. C. Berkeley he was a teacher there until 1931. From the Towhee.Net website, "... leaving U. C.  in 1931 he went to the Yosemite School of Field Natural History, run by the National Park Service.  Many of his Alaska observations and publications were cited by A. C. Bent.  Wright (1904-36) also worked for the park service in Yosemite.  With inherited money he paid for and organized the first wildlife surveys in U. S. national parks.  He was an early proponent of habitat and environmental restoration at a time when tame deer and bears were considered ideal.  He led the park service to protect endangered species and fragile habitat.  He was well known among the conservationists of his day." 

To read Joseph S. Dixon's actual field notes from his work in Stanislaus County click on the Field Notes button below and advance to pages 31-53. (From MVZ Archival Field Notes)

For more information see http://www.towhee.net/history/thayer.html

Photo used with permission from MVZ.