by Susan Fenimore Cooper
About Susan Fenimore Cooper and her life in New York
I plan on showing my students the pictures before we read so they can picture what she is talking about while reading.
By AO Week
August:
August 1
- Crimson Lobelia: Probably the Lobelia Cardinalis ; Video: Complete Guide to Cardinal Flower (12:26 min)
- Hawk-wort: Maybe Hawkweed
- Rattlesnake Plantain or Goodyear
August 2 – n/a
August 3
- Sweet Fern (Comptonia)
- Whortleberry
- Mullein (from Cornell Botanic Gardens) or Mullein (from Brooklyn Botanic Gardens)
August 4
- Brake (possibly Purple Cliffbrake)
- Common Nighthawk
- Whip-poor-will
- Ermine
- Sable
- Wolverine
August 7
- Oaks: USDA: Field Guide to Native Oak Species ; Types of Oaks found in New York
- Pine: Cornell University identifies the White Pine as the most widely distributed pine in New York ; Eastern White Pine
- Chestnut: NY Restoration Project ; Long Island Conservancy
- Hemlocks
- Ash: White Ash ; Black Ash
August 9
August 21 – n/a
August 22
August 23
- Swallows of Western New York ; Possibly she means a Chimney Swift?
August 24
August 25 (see August 23 – Chimney Swallow)
August 26
August 28 (see August 4 – Night Hawk)
August 29 (see August 23 – Swallows)
August 30 (see August 7 – Chestnut and Hemlock trees)
August 31
September
*September 1 – n/a (Week 2)
*September 2 (Week 2)
- Barn & Chimney Swallows (see August 23)
- Goldfinch – Possibly the American Goldfinch
*September 5 – Chimney Swallows – see August 23 (Week 2)
*September 6 (Week 2)
- Michaelmas Daisies
- Goldenrods
- Silverrod
- Nabulus or Bird’s Foot
- Yellow Gerard’s or Hawkwort – possibly Yellow False Foxglove, see also August 1
- Blue Gentian – possible Lesser Fringed Gentian or Downy Gentian
- Partridge-berry (same as squaw berry, though she lists separately?)
- Dragon’s Claw or Corallorhiza
*September 7 (Week 2)
- Spiranthes or Ladies’ Tresses
- Purple Aster – possibly Michaelmas Aster, see September 6, or the Purple Stemmed Aster
- Golden Bur Marigold
*September 8 (Week 3)
- Wych-hazel see here for full tree photos
- Speckled-Jewels – possibly jewelweed/spotted touch-me-not
- Partrige-berry & Squaw Vine – See September 6
- Purple Rose-Raspberry
- Too Many Berries to list
- Round-leaved Dogwood – She says they have blue berries. The Round-leaved Dogwood has white berries, but the Silky Dogwood (that does not have round leaves), has blue berries. Here is a list of native Dogwoods.
- Sumach
- Birds: Robin, Bluebird, Sparrow, Goldfinch (see also September 2), Cat-bird – probably the Gray Catbird, pigeon and woodpeckers (not sure which kind of these)
*September 9 (Week 3)
- Chipmunk
- Squirrels – Squirrels of New York
- Red Squirrel – more info on the
- Gray Squirrel
- Fox Squirrel
- Black Squirrel
- Flying Squirrel – probably the Southern Flying Squirrel
- Chestnut Tree (see August 7)
*September 11 – long read, split into multiple days (Week 6)
- Elm – maybe American Elm
- Amelanchier – also known as Serviceberry
*September 12 (Week 7)
- Hawk – Hawks of New York
- King-bird
*September 13 – Bur Marigolds, see September 7 (Week 7)
*September 14 – n/a (Week 7)
*September 15 (Week 7)
- Locusts – probably the Honey Locust
- Virginia Creeper
*September 16 (Week 7)
*September 18 (Week 7)
- Golden-winged Woodpecker – probably the Northern Flicker
*September 19 (Week 7)
*September 21 through 23 – nothing new (Week 7)
*September 25 (Week 7)
*September 26 (Week 8)
- Woodcocks
- Partridge – or possible the Ruffled Grouse (link on All About Birds)
- Wood Ducks
*September 27 (Week 8)
- Mixed bird flock – See September 8
- Meadowlark
*September 29 – n/a (Week 8)
October
October 2
- Asters – See September 7
- Everlastings – Probably Pearly Everlasting
- Golden-rod – See September 6
- Bird-bell – Maybe American Bellflower
- Innocence – Possibly Mock Orange which grows in New York
- Pink and Yellow Fumitory – maybe Common Fumitory and probably Yellow Fumewort
- Blackberry flowers
- Rose-raspberry – See September 8
- Mullein – See August 3
October 3
- Sumach – See September 8
- Virginia Creeper – See September 15
- Birch
- Elm – See September 11
- Lime-trees
- Aspen
- Lombardy Poplar
October 4
- Trees that have been listed above
- Black Walnut
- Butternut (or White Walnut) better pictures of full tree here
- Beachnut
- Hickory – probably Shagbark Hickory or here for better pictures
October 5
- Many trees that have been listed above
- Balm of Gilead poplar – also called Balsam Poplar
October 7 – trees mentioned above
October 10 – longer read, maybe do in two readings
- Sweet-briar – probably Sweetbriar Rose
October 11 – very long reading, split into several readings
October 13
- Many plants listed above
- Alder – Possibly Green Alder
- Lilac (or Syringas) – Not Native to New York, but is the State Bush
October 14
- Cranberry-tree – possibly the HIghbush Cranberry
- Hairy Honeysuckle
- Green-briars
- Thorn-tree – no tree by that name. But several trees in New York have thorns: black locust, honey locust, and hawthorn (of which there are many)
- Moose-wood – Probably the Striped Maple
- Viburnums – there are many species
- Hobble-bush
October 17 through 20 – nothing new
October 24
- Chickadee: There are two kinds found in New York – The Black-Capped Chickadee and the Boreal Chickadee
- Snow-bird – probably the Dark-eyed Junco
October 26
- Strawberry blite
- Nabali – possibly Three-leaved Rattlesnake Root
- Willowherb – there are many types in New York, pictures of the seeds she mentions
- Silk-wort – possible the Silky Swallow Wort (pictures of seeds here too)
- Fire-weed
October 27
- Wild Geese – migrating geese
October 28 & 30 – nothing new
January
January 1 through 17 (Week 13) – nothing new
January 18 through 20 (week 14) – nothing new
January 22 (Week 14)
- American Deer – probably the White-tailed deer
- American Stag, she also calls it Red Deer and Round-Horned Elk – probably what we know as Elk but are no longer in New York State
- Reindeer
January 23 (Week 14) – n/a
January 24 through 25 (Week 15) – n/a
January 26 (Week 15)
- Brown Rat
- Black Rat
- Common Mouse – probably the House Mouse
- Jumping Mouse – maybe the Meadow Jumping Mouse
- Deer Mouse – maybe the Easter Deer Mouse
January 27 (Week 15) – n/a
January 29 (Week 16)
- Crows – A Murder of Crows
- Raven – Crow vs. Raven
January 30 (Week 16)
February
February 3 (Week 17)
- Holly – Probably the American Holly
- Yew – Probably the American Yew
- Juniper – Probably the Eastern Red Cedar. She references another low growing one resembling the European Juniper, she may mean the common juniper.
- Liquid Amber or Sweet-Gum
- Persimmon
- Laurel Magnolia or Sweet Bay
- Cucumber Magnolia – probably the Cucumbertree
- Umbrella Magnolia
- Pawpaw
- Kentucky Coffee-tree
February 5 (Week 17)
- Arctic woodpecker – probably the Black-backed Woodpecker
February 6 (Week 17)
- American Gray Rabbit – possibly the New England Cottontail
- Hare – probably the Brown Hare
- Northern Hare – Snowshoe Hare
February 7 (Week 18) – split into several readings
February 9 – content warning: description of panther attack. Not in AO schedule.
- Panther – this is what Mountain Lions were called
- Umbagog Lake
February 10 (Week 19)
- Brook Trout
- Red-Bellied Trout – can’t find any matches (email me from the About Me page if you find something!)
February 13 (Week 19)
- American Wolf
- Red Fox
- Gray Fox
- Cross Fox (variant of Red Fox)
- Black Fox (variant of Red Fox)
- Beavers (the New York State Mammal)
February 14 (Week 19) – n/a
February 22 (Week 20)
As many nest as I could find. For trees, see October lists above.
February 24 (Week 20)
- Chickadee: There are two kinds found in New York – The Black-Capped Chickadee and the Boreal Chickadee
- Lapland snow-bird – probably the Lapland Longspur (more info here)
February 26 (Week 21)
- Painting of horse-drawn sleighs in New York City
- Painting of horse-drawn sleights on Hudson River
February 27 (Week 21)
- Hickory – probably Shagbark Hickory or here for better pictures
- Wych-hazel see here for full tree photos
February 28 (Week 21)
- February sunsets in Finger Lakes area of New York
March
March 4 (Week 22) – n/a
March 7 (Week 22)
- Loon – Probably the common loon ; Loons on the Fingerlakes
- Dipper or Ouzel – Probably referencing the American Water Ouzel, not found in New York
March 8 (Week 22)
March 9 (Week 22)
- Winter photos of trees covered in snow in New York State
March 10 (Week 22)
- Partridge – Probably a Ruffed Grouse (Parsing the Name Partridge)
March 11 (Week 22) – n/a
March 18 (Week 22)
- Video: Sounds of a Frozen Lake (0:45 min)
March 20 (Week 22)
- Video: Sapsickles (1:39 video)
March 22-23 (Week 22) – nothing new
March 24 (Week 23)
March 25 (Week 23)
- Wild Pigeon – probably the Passenger Pigeon
March 28 through 29 (Week 23) – nothing new
March 30 (Week 23)
March 31 (Week 23)
April
April 1 (Week 25)
- Photos of maple syrup farm
- Video: How Delicious Vermont Maple Syrup is Made (4:41 min)
- Video: Canadian Gold: Maple Syrup Then and Now (4:31 min)
April 2 (Week 25)
- Scarlet Maple buds
- American Elm flower
- Photos of Lichens on Trees
- Ground Laurel
- Birds: Robins, Sparrows, Bluebirds – see links above
April 4 (Week 26) – n/a
April 6 (Week 26)
- Ground Laurel (See April 2)
- Squaw vine & Partridge-berry (partridge-berry is also called squaw berry. I cannot find a separate squaw vine that is a different plant than partridge-berry)
- Mignonette
- European violet – maybe the Viola Arvensis?
April 9 (Week 26) – n/a
April 10 (Week 26)
- Locusts – probably the Honey Locust
- Cedar birds – probably the Cedar Waxwing
April 11 (Week 26)
- Baltimore Oriole
- Oriole nest
- Locusts – probably the Honey Locust
April 12 (Week 27) – n/a
April 14 (Week 27)
April 15 (Week 27)
April 18 (Week 27)
April 22 (Week 27)
- Scarlet Maple buds
- American Elm flower
- Barn Swallow
- Cannot find a white-billed swallow
April 25 (Week 27)
April 26 (Week 28) – n/a
April 26 (Week 28)
April 27 (Week 28)
April 29 (Week 28)
May
May 1 (Week 28)
May 3 (Week 28) – nothing new
May 4 (Week 29)
- Swallows of Western New York
- Chimney-swallows – Possibly she means a Chimney Swift?
- White-bellied swallow – probably the Tree Swallow
- Barn-swallow
- Purple Martin
- Bank Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
May 5 (Week 30)
- Juneberry and Amelanchier – both are names for the serviceberry, though there are several options for both that grow in New York State.
- Maroon Moose-Flower – on May 19 she mentions that all Moose-flowers are called Trillium, so perhaps she means the red trillium
May 6 (Week 30) – many birds mentioned which are linked above
May 11 (Week 31)
- Black and White Creeper – known now as the Black-and-White Warbler
- Purple Finch
- Yellow red-pole – known now as the Palm Warbler
- Fly Honeysuckle – possibly the American Fly Honeysuckle
- Scarlet Honeysuckle – possibly the Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle – is also known as Woodbine which she mentions separately
- Yellow Honeysuckle – possibly the Northern Bush Honeysuckle
- Hairy Honeysuckle
May 12 (Week 31)
May 13 (Week 31)
- Hemlock
- Locusts – probably the Honey Locust
May 15 (Week 31)
- June-berry – probably the serviceberry
- Sugar Maple
- Scarlett Maple
- Mountain Maple
- Moose-wood – Probably the Striped Maple
- Elm – maybe American Elm
- Black Birch
- Ash: White Ash ; Black Ash
- Hickory – probably Shagbark Hickory or here for better pictures
- Violets – maybe the Viola Arvensis
- Moose-flower – maybe the Moose Horn Violet
- Strawberry
- Whortleberry
May 16 (Week 32) – n/a
May 17 (Week 32)
May 18 (Week 33)
May 19 (Week 33)
- Wild Plum
- Hobble-bush
- Moose-flower also called Trillium – the Trillium flowers of New York State
- Pitcher plant – Probably be Purple Pitcherplant
- Moccasin Flower
- Azalea – azalea’s of New York State
May 20 (Week 33)
- Cat-bird – probably the Gray Catbird
May 22 (Week 34)
- All trees mentioned above. Pinnated foliage
May 23 (Week 34) – n/a
May 24 (Week 34)
- Trees listed above: maple, hemlock pine, balsam
- Norway fir
May 25 (Week 34)
- Cool-wart or Tiarella Cordifolia
- Low-Cornel – maybe the Canadian Dwarf Cornel, known as Bunchberry?
- May-star
- Cool-wort
- Slender MItella – probably Bishop’s Cap
- May-wings – maybe Blue-wings?
May 27 – labeled as “Sunday, 29th” but next is “Tuesday, 29th” (Week 35)
- Snakes of New York State
- Pretty little butterfly, pink and yellow – possibly the Pink-edged Sulphur
May 28 (Week 35)
May 29 (Week 35)
May 30 (Week 36) – n/a
May 31 (Week 36)
Ambling Together 