Video!

Last Open Day Today; Remember 9/11

Today will definitely be our last open day in 2011. We will be open 9.30-12.30 and 3-6. Please see lihummer.org for info and directions if you have never visited before. Activity is a bit low this beautiful morning, but I hope it will be better in the afternoon. We will then be closed until august 2012, except by special appointment.
We will also inaugurate our new "Hummingbird Crossing Sign", kindly donated by Melissa Hahn. You will see it as you arrive: watch out for low-flying hummers! The idea for the sign came from a ten-year old visitor. Thanks Sarah! I will post a picture here shortly.
The photo is by Sharon Schwarz. The flower is Salvia involucrata

Open this afernoon 3-6; Hummingbirds sing with their tails!

We will be open this afternoon from 3 to 6. Hummer numbers are dropping but we still have several, and the weather looks good. Please read the instructions and directions at lihummer.org if you have never visited. If you tell your friends about us, PLEASE ensure that they first read basic info at lihummer.org and then check with this blog that we are open. We currently have the untenable situation that more people are coming when we are closed than when we are open, because people explain where we are but neglect to mention that we are only open at specific limited times (and hardly ever outside of august). We cannot continue to operate if people show up at random! It's unfair both to them and to me.


Many of you were probably fascinated by the segment of the 

beautiful "Nature" PBS Special on Hummingbirds. It showed Chis Clark's
work showing that the Anna male courtship dive involves production of short tones by air flow over tail feathers. There's an article in this week's "Science" (by Elias, Clark and Prum; the latter's wife was the producer of the film) that takes the matter further. Here is the abstract:


"During courtship flights, males of some hummingbird species produce
diverse sounds with tailfeathers of varying shapes. We show that these sounds are produced by air flowing past a feather,causing it to aeroelastically flutter and generate flutter-induced sound. Scanning laser doppler vibrometery and high-speed video of individual feathers of different sizes and shapes in wind tunnel revealed multiple vibratory modes that produce a range of acoustic frequencies and harmonic structures. Neighboring feathers can be aerodynamically coupled and flutter either at the same frequency, resulting in sympathetic vibrations that increase loudness, or at different frequencies, resulting in audible interaction frequencies. Aeroelastic flutter is intrinsic to stiff airfoils such as feathers and thus explains tonal sounds that are common in bird flight"

 There's also a piece in the NY Times: dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/08/a-hummingbirds-musical-tail/

I will write more about this fascinating subject in the next blog. 
The picture shows a trumpet creeper in full bloom.

Sneak weekend opening? Beach Driving Letter

The weather and hummingbird activity look good (though the latter could change when the wind shifts to the northwest overnight) so I hope to open saturday afternoon and sunday (am and pm). But please check this blog for confirmation and information.
There's a short provocative letter in today's Riverhead News-Review (print version) about beach ATVs and other vehicles by yours truly - I'll put in a link if it appears online.
The image (Salvia guaranitica, the gold standard)  is by Adam Hurewitz - thanks Adam! Notice the tiny nonretractable undercarriage. The legs are hard to see, and early observers thought hummingbirds were legless! Well, they almost are, since they cannot walk at all.

More rain, hotter climate; Stachytarpheta

The first picture, from Sandy, shows a hummingbird feeding at Pink Porterweed (Stachytarpheta mutabilis), one of the most popular plants at the sanctuary. I got it from the Peconic River Herb Farm (beautiful place). I had a purple porterweed (S. franzii) for several years, which was a hummer magnet, but lost it one winter (despite being indoors). On my recommendation, the Harb Farm got some porterweeds in this year, and they have been a great success, both here and there.




The continuing rain, and the hurricane we just went through, prompt me to say a little about global warming. I cannot do better than call your attention to an unusually clear and accurate article in today's New York Times: "Going Green But Getting Nowhere". The planet we know (and love) is changing rapidly, on a time scale of a very few generations. The changes will involve massive social and economic disruption (far greater than our present "recession"), comparable to a permanent world war. The science is clear-cut though the immediate effects are not. Hummingbirds know - they are already arriving slightly earlier, and lingering later (see hummingbirds.net - in particular, look at the slow change in the migration maps since 1996).
The only way to reduce the disruption is to immediately make drastic economic changes, outlined in the article. Individual actions, such as "going green" will have no impact; they are essentially merely a way of evading the problem. Unfortunately America is the worst offender and has progressed the least. Europeans only generate half the carbon load we do, and they adopted sane and decent (though still inadequate) policies long ago. The core issue is simply greed: we want it all, now, and don't care what happens later. In fact, many Americans simply refuse to think about the issue. Please do.

Enough said. This picture, by Chris Corradino, shows a spicebush swallowtail feeding on Texas sage (Salvia coccinea). While this is not as good a salvia for hummingbirds as some others, and is strictly annual, it self-seeds well. However, the leaves don't smell as good as many others.

Fattening Up!

The rubythroat typically doubles its weight (from 2 to 4 grams; 2 pennies weigh 3 grams) prior to migration.He converts the sugar he eats to brown adipose tissue primarily around the belly. Indeed, some get so heavy they have slight difficulty taking off, like an overloaded plane. However all this extra weight will be burned off during the epic flight across the Gulf of Mexico (of which more later).

The first photo, by Doug MacLean, shows a hummer feeding at the skyblue flowers of Salvia uliginosa (bog sage). The second shows a general view west with bogsage and mullein spires, and the large faded white flower of Datura.

Closed today, basically until 2012!

We are now more or less closed until august 2012. It's possible that if conditions are very favorable we might open for one more day in the next week or so, but don't count on it. It's also sometimes possible to arrange private visits - see lihummer.org. Please no spontaneous visiting!

Hummingbirds were fairly active this morning despite the wind and rain as I refilled all the feeders to keep them going for a few days. The wind will eventually shift to the northwest, and many hummers will move south. But we could then get a new batch from further north (rubythroats breed in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick). But on average numbers will dwindle until none are left by mid-october. I have seen hummingbirds here  in november and december, but I suspect they may have been Rufous hummers.

I will write a summary of the 2012 season at some point, but I would like to thank all my charming and well-behaved visitors, ranging from a few weeks old to nearly 100 years! A special thanks for all the touching small gifts!

I'll continue the blog off and on as long as I have new photos and interested readers, providing hummingbird news, and perhaps other related information and sheer opinion. For example: damn the South Fork helicommuters!

The picture, by Charleen Turner, shows the view through the front cabin doorways.

Open Today to All Comers; closed 12.30-3; american painted lady; last day?

We will be open today (Labor Day) 9.30 -12-30 and 3-6 to everyone. Looks like this will be our last day in 2011. First time visitors should consult the information and directions at lihummer.org before setting off - do not rely on vague descriptions from friends. The photos are from yesterday: a hummer feeding at Stachytarpheta mutabilis, by Peg Koller, and an American Painted Lady, by Melissa Hahn.

Open today to all, activity picking up, zigzag dangers

We will open today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; as has often been the case this year, activity is picking up in the afternoon. Please see lihummer.org for directions and info, especially if you have not visited before. The recent photo is by Robert Silvering. It shows a young (or female) hummer feeding at Salvia involucrata, one of my top 3 recommendations for Long Island hummingbird gardens.
Reminder: the bluff zigzag path is narrow, steep, difficult and even dangerous - only for the fit and foolish!

Open Today to New Visitors Only

We are open today from 9.30-12.30 then 3 to 6 but ONLY to those who have not yet visited this year. If you have NEVER visited before, please read the directions, instructions and other information at lihummer.org before setting off. DO NOT rely on word of mouth from friends and neighbors. Please do your homework - you will enjoy your visit more, and so will I! We hope to open sunday, monday and tuesday (the last day to all-comers) - but please check this blog before setting off. We will then close until august 2012.
We make get some rain and/or thunder. Intermittent rain will not deter hummingbird activity, and you can take shelter if needed in the front cabin.
The photo is by Klaus Schleim. Hummers often spend long periods perching. They are conserving energy (the hovering flight burns up calories very rapidly) and also monitoring their favorite feeding spot for possible hummer intruders. They hate interlopers even more than they love nectar! The resulting high-speed chases can be quite thrilling to watch.

Open Today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; bluffslope viewing; season ending

We are open today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6 - see lihummer.org for directions and details. We will probably open the next 3 days too, but only to first-time visitors (this year) - please check this blog for confirmation. We will then close until august 2012 (although you can try to make a private appointment: see lihummer.org). However, the new lower bluffslope viewing area is now always open for those who can hike down the beach from east or west and ascend a bit of the tricky zigzag path; it is marked by a post painted in hummingbird colors: red and green. There are already hummers feeding and fighting there, quite close to the beach. Please do not go beyond the bluff top, into the sanctuary itself, except when we are officially open. Also, there may be deer ticks and the path is narrow and steep.
The evocative photo is by Jody Banaszak. Notice the foreground very fuzzy hummer attacking the hummer feeding on the flower!

Oh Bliss - Relative Quiet! Open this afternoon; lotta hummers

My neighbors finally got their power problem fixed and relative calm has returned, so we can open this afternoon, from 3 to 6. I hope to open friday and the weekend too but please check this blog for confirmation and details (and lihummer.org for directions and general information). There are still quite a few hummers around. I heard from a hummer gardener in nearby Aquebogue that hummers were feeding right through the storm! (As of course they have to).
Please bear in mind that there is still some debris around, and many plantings got knocked around. Here is a link to a Picasaweb album that shows the garden (and a few hidden hummers) before the storm.

The photo was taken last week by Ed Culbreath, a visitor from the Bronx. Thanks Ed! It shows a youngster (note the white tail tip) feeding on Agastache.

Irene Report

Sorry for the silence - we lost power/phone/internet in both Baiting Hollow and Stony Brook. All restored this morning. There was very little damage in either place, but of course the garden is rather a mess. With heavy heart I took down most of the feeders because I thought they could be blown away (I lost 3 in the minor thunderstorm at the beginning of august, which in the end did almost more damage than Irene). When I got back here monday evening, hummers were buzzing around the remaining feeders, which I had clumped in 2 valleys where I thought they would be protected.
The main problem here has been the appalling 24 hour-a-day noise from my neighbor's generator. It penetrates the cabin even with the windows shut and thick plywood nailed over them, and I could not sleep. Unfortunately it is continuing despite the restoration of power, due to some sort of technical problem. I cannot do any work in the main garden area, so I retreat to near the base of the bluff, where the noise cannot be heard. I am creating there 2 hummer observation areas, with feeders. My thought is that these areas could be permanently open, to those few intrepid hummerphiles who would be willing to walk down the beach from the Reeves Park parking area. I will post details soon.
I hope to reopen thursday for a few days: please check the blog for confirmation. In the mean time, here is a nice recent photo by Mike Chachkes.
I should perhaps add that Irene hit Eleuthera as a category 3 major hurricance, but there seems to be no really major damage to our houses there, although of course many roof shingles came off, leading to water penetration, and the garden is back to where it was just after Floyd (category 4, borderline 5), 13 years ago. But Sisyphus will slowly push the boulder back up the hill. Here is a link to Calypso garden photos before Irene.

Irene Closure

We will be closed today, tomorrow and monday. However, we will update the blog with news. If Irene fizzles, as I expect, we may open a few days in early september. The photo, a reminder of calm seas, is by Charleen Turner.

Open Today 9.30-12.30 and 3-sunset; ruby throats

We will be open today from 9.30 to 12.30 then 3 to sunset. See lihummer.org for directions and info. Please do not bring food or drink if you come for sunset: let's keep it minimal. Depending on the storm, we might also open tomorrow, though only to those who have not yet visited this season.

The picture was taken yesterday by Melissa Hahn. It shows an adult male with a full ruby gorget, and the characteristic forked tale. I do not know whether this is the adult male who dominated the sanctuary throughout the summer, or a recent, transient, arrival from the north. However, the adult males are always the first to leave: once the females are no longer receptive there is no point in sticking around, since he plays no direct role in child-rearing.
The only hummingbird species that breeds east of the Mississippi is the ruby-throat (Archilocus colubris). Of course only the adult male has the full ruby throat. Many people believe that they get more females than males, because they mistake the young males for females (they have a white band on the tail, which is not forked, and only a trace of throat color). However, there are equal numbers of males and females. Sir Ronald Fisher, the famous founder of population genetics (and, largely, statistics) showed long ago that if sex is genetically controlled, genes producing equal male/female numbers will always get preferentially selected. A beautiful example of how science explains what everyone already thought they knew, but didn't really.

Open Today; catching insects

We are open today from 9.30 to 12.30 and 3 to 6. Please see lihummer.org for directions and information, and remember to ring the bell if you have never been here before. As always we are closed 12.30-3, but there are several excellent nearby restaurants.  If you visit a local establishment, please mention that you are visiting the sanctuary.
We plan to open tomorrow from 3 to sunset, but please check this blog for confirmation. Please do not bring any food or drink items tomorrow evening: the point is just to quietly watch red and green flashes, not conviviality.

Hummingbirds drink nectar mainly to power their energy-intensive flight, but they also need protein, which they get from catching small insects. Indeed, most of the mother's activity is devoted to catching insects for the babies in the nest (and shortly thereafter); they are not flying and need few calories. This is one reason why activity is much lower during nesting season (late may-early august). Hummers catch insects by opening their beaks and flying rapidly forwards, pushing the insect into their throats. They do not snap with their beaks or use their tongues. The photo, taken at the sanctuary by Anne Denese,  shows a hummer with open beak ready to lunge forward and engulf the hapless insect.

Open today and tomorrow; important reminder

We will be open today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6, and also same times tomorrow. Please see lihummer.org for information and directions.
We are a private, shoestring and improvised operation, and there are some basic rules to observe, so that we may continue to open to the public. We are delighted that you tell friends, neighbors and family about us, but please ALWAYS tell them to view the instructions and directions at lihummer.org: do not rely on a vague verbal description, and above all insist that before visiting everyone should check (via lihummer.org, which links to this blog) that we will actually be open when they stop by. Visits outside of posted opening dates/hours may receive a frosty reception, unless we are charmed. Visitors should have a serious interest in hummingbirds, gardening etc. Parking is very limited, and we must give priority to hummer aficionados. We welcome children, but please keep an eye on them at all times.

The recent photo, by Bob Imoor, shows a hummer visiting a bog sage spire (Salvia uliginosa). You are welcome to send us images taken at the sanctuary, but please, small files only (200KB).

closed today, open tomorrow; Agastache "Black Adder"

Looks like we will be closed today (2 private groups) but keep an eye on the blog just n case. But we will definitely be open tomorrow 9.30-12.30 and 3 to 6. Hummer numbers were down yesterday, as expected, but still enough to be interesting.
Here is a photo by Melissa Hahn showing a visit to the perennnial agastache "Black Adder", which is sometimes used (but the tropical versions, such as "Tutti Fruti", are better.

Open Today 3-6; spanish moss

We will be open today from 3 to 6. For info and directions see lihummer.org
Yesterday afternoon was busy, with plenty of new faces and old friends form previous years. Fortunately the weather stayed good and there were plenty of hummingbirds around. Today there are fewer hummers (some left on the north wind that developed overnight) but still a fair number, fattening up for the arduous journey ahead.
Many visitors comment on the spanish moss (Tillandsia usnoides) on the wild cherry trees. We bring it up each year from Georgia or the Carolinas. This year most of it came from a beautiful bed-and-breakfast plantation we stayed at (http://www.mansfieldplantation.com) near Georgetown SC; we pick it up off from the ground where it would in any case get mowed, and some of it is already brown and dead, but it does well in the warm humid Long Island summer. However, only small pieces survive the severe winter. It is a green flowering plant (spraying with water brings out the green color). It has tiny fragrant flowers, and, like most other bromeliads, it is an epiphyte, using trees only for support. It derives all its nutrients from the air and rain. It is amazing to realize it is a close relative of the pineapple!

The image shows the moss in july, with crocosmia (known in the UK as montbretia) "Lucifer" flowering with "Hyperion" dalylilies. You can also see the mimosa flowers, and in the background Monarda fistulosa. Except the daylily, all are good hummingbird plants.

Open Today But Only New Visitors 9.30-12.30 and 3-6

Despite the iffy weather, we will be open today from 9.30 to 12.30 and 3 to 6 but only to those who have not yet visited this year (unless you bring a carload of hummingbird enthusiasts with you). We are closed 12.30 - 3. Please consult lihummer.org for directions and instructions. Intermittent rain will not deter hummers from feeding, and you can take some shelter under the front porch or in the front cabin overlooking the Sound.  Updates will be posted at this blog. We should be open most of next week; details will be posted here.

Yesterday's Audubon and photography groups saw lots of high speed chases in good, humid, conditions. I also installed the new arched bridge over the beech roots at the entrance to the woodland path. At some point I plan to paint it unmistakable Japanese-red!
The photo, by Aram, shows a hummer approaching Salvia uliginosa and S. involucrata (sky-blue bog sage and rosebay sage). The tall delicate bog sage spires are surprisingly resistant to the windy conditions at the blufftop - indeed, in more sheltered conditions they tend to sprawl and flop. When in seed they also attract goldfinches. However, the hummers prefer S. guarantica and S. involucrata.

CLOSED TODAY! Cardinal Flower

We are closed today but hope to open tomorrow (sunday) afternoon. Audubon and photography groups are visiting today: we suggest you consider joining your local Audubon chapter or nature photography club. The picture, by Gene Keyes (thanks!) shows a hummer feeding at cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). This is a superb native Long Island hummingbird flower, found naturally along riverbanks (eg the Nissequoge) and other moist places. It is mainly pollinated by hummingbirds, and where it grows naturally you can be sure there are hummers around. Bees and most other insects find the  flower  difficult to access. However, the hummer head pushes against the anther which opens up the flower. A dab of golden pollen is also placed on the hummer's forehead. Sometimes, if you look carefully at hummers at the sanctuary, you will see this gold crown. However, cardinal flower struggles to survive in the dry exposed conditions at the sanctuary, except in a few privileged and still unsatisfactory locations.

The Big Problem at the Sanctuary

We are open this afternoon 3-6.
The rainy weather is bringing out the hummingbirds! But the humid air also exacerbates the number one problem we face at the sanctuary: NOISE!
There are times, with the bird-scaring cannon operated by local farmers 2 miles away, and the low-flying helicopters commuting to East Hampton, when it is like Apocalypse Now. For 15 years it used to be very quiet here - it's why we chose it. But in the last few years noise has greatly increased. As well as the heavy helicopter and seaplane commuter traffic, and these infernal cannon, new development has brought the "landscaping" teams with their leafblowers and other loud equipment (Capability Brown must be turning in his grave at the misuse of this term). I now nap with my Bose noise-cancelling headphones on, and the doors and windows closed, but even this does not stop the racket. I cannot understand why it does not bother more people - and it's so rude and selfish. Above all, it makes it difficult to hear the subtle buzzing and squeaking that alerts one to the presence of a yet unseen hummingbird, and it interferes with their constant communications.
We hope to open sunday afternoon 3-6, but only to those who have not yet visited this year. Please check the blog for confirmation.

The picture is by Joe Maggio, and shows red porterweed.

Open today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; hummer enjoys view

We will be open today 9.30-12.30 and 3 to 6. There may be some rain/thunder early but this should not deter the birds. See lihummer.org for directions. The photos are from yesterday, by Melissa Hahn and Pat Frost. There were fewer hummers than the day before, but still adequate. Melissa's picture shows a hummer surrounded by a shrimp plant, and Pat's shows one on his/her favorite perch, a stunted pine clinging to the bluff edge.

Open today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; gorgeous gorgets

We will be open today 9.30-12.30 and 3 to 6. We are closed 12.30-3 but there are lunch recommendations for nearby restaurants, and directions and other info, at lihummer.org. First time visitors should always look at the instructions there, and ring the bell on arrival! If you eat at a local restaurant, please mention that you are there to see hummingbirds!

The image, taken by Melissa Hahn yesterday, shows an adult male at a "Little Beginner" feeder. You can see his full brilliant ruby-red throat "gorget", made up of dozens of tiny, circular feathers. You can also see his fat, migration-ready, belly. Generally the adult males are the first to leave: once the females become unreceptive because they cannot raise new babies in the time remaining, there is no point in sticking around, and by leaving early they migrate in more favorable conditions.

Viewed from most angles the gorget actually appears black: the color is based on iridescence not pigment, and is best seen from the front and slightly below (the angle seen by the interested female at the base of the "mating dance", of which more later).

Young male hummers often have a few gorget feathers, and so one can still see the "red flash", but they do not have a full gorget nor a forked tail.

Open Tomorrow 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; deer; 99 year-olds

We will be open tomorrow am and pm (but closed from 12.30 to 3, as always). See lihummer.org for directions etc. Today was quite a good day, with quite a few hummers around, and they should stay until the wind shift to the north. One of our visitors today was 99 years old, and another only 2. 2 of our other, regular, visitors today were spotted fauns, who have doubled in size over the last month. Luckily they don't like the strong flavor of our salvias, our key hummingbird plants.

The afternoon tomorrow may have showers and thunder, but that should not deter hummers, and you can take shelter in the front cabin or under the front porch. If possible car pool because parking is limited, and if there are a lot of visitors, please do not stay too long.

The picture was taken yesterday by Cliff Dayton. It shows a young male feeding at red porterweed. Note the transparency of the wing.

Looks Good! Open today 9.30-12.30 and 3 to 6

The weather and the hummingbirds are both looking good and we will open today both am (9.30-12.30) and pm (3-6). New visitors are reminded to ring the bell (see lihummer.org for info and directions) sufficiently distinctly that it can be heard. Also, a reminder that good walkers should follow the woodland path, while anyone with the slightest difficulty (e.g. old body, flip-flops, out-of-shape etc) should go straight down the driveway. However, persons in the latter group should remain in the upper garden area. All visitors are also reminded that they enter at their OWN RISK - there are steep, narrow paths, hosepipes, deteriorating steps and chairs etc. Please be cautious.

The photo is from last year, by Klaus-Dieter Schleim. It shows a hummer hovering at rosebay salvia (S. involucrata) "Mulberry Jam". I have both this variety and the taller "Bethellii". I have not decided which is better, though I suspect the latter. Some of these plants survived the winter from last year. In fact, last winter, though thought by many to be a severe one, was quite kind to the garden - probably because there was plenty of snow cover. I have a black-and-blue S. guaranitica that is as big as the plants put in this year.

Despite possible rain, open today from 3 to 6

There are quite a few hummingbirds around so we will open today from 3-6 (see lihummer.org for directions, info etc). We will also open tomorrow, from 9.30 to 12.30 and 3 to 6, but although the weather will be nicer, I predict there will be a drop in hummer numbers, because the wind will turn to the north. But I hope numbers will then pick up again over the next few days, as new arrivals come in from the north.

Interestingly, after checking the feeders after a 40 hour absence, many were completely empty, but a few were still fairly full. On checking, the sugar water in these feeders had been considerably diluted by all the rain, despite the fact that the "port-sideways" design on the dollar-feeders is more rain-resistant than the port-up types, such as "Hummzinger". The "Hummzinger" type is less affected by bees and yellowjackets, if you keep the fluid level low. I do not recommend using "bee-guards" on feeders: they seem to deter hummers as much as they do bees.

The image, of a male juvenile perching on a stalk of Salvia uliginosa (bog-sage) is by Dr Thomas Killip. Notice the red throat spots and the delicate feet. Notice also that, like all members of the mint family, the stem is square. The strong flavor of salvias and other mints deters deer.

Closed again today; hoping to open tomorrow pm

We are closed today, but if the rain holds off we will open tomorrow from 3 to 6 (but please check the blog to be sure). Here is a reminder of sun and clear blue skies, taken recently by Joe Maggio (thanks!). The flowers include red porterweed, agastache and red yucca, all good hummingbird plants. I had a nice purple porterweed (Stachytarpheta frantzii) for several years, which was an hummer magnet. However one winter I lost it (neglect, not cold: it was inside, since it is a tropical). The red porterweed (sometimes called snakeweed), S. mutabilis is prettier but the flowers are slightly smaller, and it is not quite as attractive to hummers (I think, but one really needs to do a side-by-side comparison). I got the red porterweed, and also the red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora) from the Peconic River Herb Farm, a delightful nursery and garden by the Peconic River, with nice hummingbirds and nicer staff .

CANCELLATION! - NOT open today.

The rain is heavier than I expected and looks to continue so we have to cancel. But we will post more open days later in the coming week: keep tuned!

Here is a nice image from friday, showing a hummingbird at shrimp plant. The little white flowers, not the colorful bracts, contain the nectar, and the hummer must learn to use these flowers. The plant is tropical and must be overwintered inside. Thanks to Linda Sullivan!

Closed today, open tomorrow but to new visitors only!

We are closed today, but will open tomorrow, sunday (from 9.30 to 12.30 and 3 to 6) BUT ONLY TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT ALREADY VISITED THIS SEASON (or, if you have visited already, please only come if you bring a couple of friends). It may well be rainy but unless it is heavy and continuous this will not deter hummers (and you can take shelter if necessary under the front porch or in the front cabin. ALL NEW VISITORS SHOULD READ and follow THE DIRECTIONS, INSTRUCTIONS AND OTHER INFORMATION AT lihummer.org. There will be plenty more opportunities for regular visitors this month. Thanks!

The photo was taken yesterday by Chris Corradino (http://www.christography.com)

It shows a spicebush swallowtail butterfly feeding at Salvia coccinea. The black swallowtail is rather similar, but the spots are yellow.

Open today 3-6: hummer heaven or heli hell?

We will be open this afternoon (3-6; lihummer.org) but be prepared for 2 sorts of hovering: tiny quiet graceful hummingbirds, and immense, noisy, ugly helicopters carrying fat cats from Manhattan to East Hampton ($2000 one way!: our bailout money!)

The beautiful images are from last year, by Tom Killip (thanks!). They show 2 views of a young male hummer. From one angle he looks like a female (silver throat) but from another you can see the 4 bright red throat feathers, like drops of blood. Over the winter, in south america all the red throat feathers will emerge, and he will arrive back with his complete splendid gorget ready to dazzle the females, and us too! He may succeed in taking over the sanctuary as his personal territory, and will spend the summer chasing and/or seducing intruders. Or perhaps his father will make it back from the perilous double Gulf crossing, and resume his favorite perch on the high dead maple branches overlooking the western valley.

Still quiet - but open 3-6 today (friday)

With the northwest wind overnight, not many hummers here this morning, but we will be open nevertheless, from 3 to 6 only, because it's a nice day. Info: lihummer.org

Another nice photo from this year. Thanks Aram!

few hummers but OPEN TODAY, THURSDAY, 9.30-12.30 and 3-6

We are open today from 9.30 to 12.30 and then from 3 to 6. See lihummer.org for directions and info. My initial walk around today revealed only 1 hummer, and the wind, disappointingly, has turned to the north, so it will be a quiet morning. Hummers tend to leave southwards on a north wind. However I did just now (9.30) see an adult male, with a full ruby gorget, just a foot away from me, on the Woodland Path!

The image is from several years ago and shows a hummer feeding at Mina lobata ("spanish flag", "mexican toothbrush vine"). This is an excellent hummingbird-attracting vine but we have not found it locally at nurseries for some years now. Thanks to Sharon Schwarz for this image. You can also see a framed version of this picture inside the front cabin, which features a variety of hummingbird photos taken at the sanctuary over the years by various photographers. This cabin also provides refuge in case of showers.

Will he won't he? Yes, open tomorrow!

We will be open tomorrow (thur) from 9.30 to 12.30 and 3 to 6. As usual, directions etc at lihummer.org. This afternoon was splendid weather, with some (but still not many) hummers, including exciting 3-bird chases.

The photo is a recent one (this august) by Aram Mirzadeh showing a hummer feeding at rosebay salvia (S. involucrata), a top favorite.We hope to be open friday afternoon but please double check at this blog for confirmation. Don't forget that groups of 10 or more can schedule their own private time!

OPEN TODAY 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; S. greggii

We will be open today (wednesday) from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 3 to 6. See lihummer.org for directions, instructions etc. The image shows a hummer feeding from Salvia greggii (Autumn Sage), a 3 star hummer plant (the max is 4 stars; roses and impatiens get no stars).

Yesterday afternoon the rain started exactly at 3, as we opened, but mostly held off, and there were plenty of satisfied visitors, and hummingbirds, despite the gray soggy conditions. Visitors can always take refuge in the front cabin in heavy rain, and in light rain the front deck provides some shelter. Today the weather is beautiful, but so far I have not seen many hummers - but there are some!

REMINDER: OPEN TODAY 3-6

We will be open today from 3 to 6. See lihummer.org for directions etc. More open days will be posted soon.

The photo shows our Brugmansia in bloom last year ("Angel Trumpet"). It was cut back and overwintered indoors, and now is starting to bloom again. It is not a hummingbird plant, but we grow cardinal vine over it, which is.

OPEN TOMORROW 3-6; Mulberry Jam

We will be open tomorrow (tuesday) afternoon from 3 to 6. The wind is turning to the north and I expect that some hummers will leave tomorrow early, but then it will turn to the east and then SE, so more might arrive by the afternoon. We had a large private group visit here this afternoon, and while numbers are still low, everyone saw plenty of hummers. Curiously, most of the hummers are at feeders, not flowers. Usually at this time of year we see inexperienced juveniles, who prefer flowers.

For directions and other information, please see lihummer.org.

We will be adding more dates soon, influenced by the weather, and the number of hummingbirds. Sorry to keep people on tenterhooks - please be patient.

Thanks to Aram Mirzadeh for the picture, which shows a young hummer (note the white band on the end of the tail) feeding at Salvia involucrata "Mulberry Jam".

CLOSED TODAY! Little Beginners

We are closed today, partly because the hummingbird numbers here are rather low at the moment. Hopefully activity will soon pick up again, and we will schedule more open days. Long Island Sound is in the background. In the meantime, here's a photo by Mollie Regozin showing a hummer approaching one of the very small "Little Beginner" feeders that are best on Long Island. They do not use too much nectar, and they are very easy to clean with an old toothbrush or even a finger.

Open today 9.30-12.30 only; drops of blood

We will be open today from 9.30 to 12.30 - see lihummer.org for directions, info etc. However, there are not a lot of hummingbirds around so far. The image is from Anthony Chartoff last year and shows a juvenile male hummer perched on the tip of a mullein flower stalk. There are already a few red throat feathers in place, but the full ruby "gorget" will only be complete just before the spring northward migration. In juvenile males these feathers can look like drops of blood in bright light.

OPEN TOMORROW 9.30-12.30 only; Aerial Combat!

We will open tomorrow, friday, from 9.30 to 12.30. If you have not visited before you are especially welcome, but please remember to ring the bell - this alerts us to your arrival, so we can explain what it going on! The image shows 2 hummingbirds fighting, one of the most interesting aspects of their behavior. Come and see for yourself!

OPEN TODAY 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; Mullein perch

We are open today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6. Please see lihummer.org for directions and info. Yesterday morning the weather was beautiful but more visitors than hummingbirds. In the afternoon the weather worsened, so there were fewer visitors but more hummers. I will update the blog today to report on numbers: there are certainly hummers around, but how good the day will turn out remains to be seen. The photo above was taken last year by Aram - it shows a young hummer perched on a mullein flower stalk. If any of our visitors takes a nice image this year, send them to me - I will post them on the blog.

Beautiful Uliginosa

So far, a rather disappointing morning - one of those days when there are more people than hummers. The wind turned to the north and some of yesterday's birds might have left early this morning to go south. So if you are thinking about this afternoon we will be open 3-6 but another day might be better - we will be adding several for next week. In the meantime, here is a photo from last year, with a hummer feeding from Salvia involucrata (the pink flowers), with S. uliginosa (sky blue) underneath.

OPEN TODAY 9.30-12.30 and 3-6

We are open today from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 3 to 6 - please see lihummer.org for info, instructions and directions, especially if you have not visited before.

The above image shows the small tree that was snapped in monday's storm. It was a very pretty, tall, bayberry near the edge of the bluff. But at least the view has improved!

Yesterday afternoon the number of visitors increased compared to our first open afternoon - over 20, including several old friends and familiar faces. Everyone saw 2 or even 3-hummer chases, and at one point we watched a fighting pair ascend ever higher in a brilliant blue sky until they became tiny dots and then disappeared.

OPEN TODAY from 3 to 5.30; waterspouts

We will be open today from 3 to 5.30 and then aug 3,4 from 9.30 to 12.30 and 3 to 6. Please go to lihummer.org for directions, instructions and information, especially if you have never visited before. Yesterday was our first, gentle, opening of the year. 6 people (in 3 groups) came in the afternoon and all saw hummingbirds chasing each other. The weather held up but later on there was a violent storm, which did some damage to plants, brought down 2 trees, and lots of debris. But the hummers were out again this morning, unfazed. I hope to post a picture of the damage here soon, but in the meantime here is one from 2 years ago, showing another storm, with 2 simultaneous water spouts over Long Island Sound.

FIRST OPEN DAY TODAY!

We open today, from 3-6, for the first time this year. Please see lihummer.org for information, directions, instructions etc. This is especially important if you have not visited in previous years. We will also be open aug 2 from 3-6 and aug 3,4 from 9.30 to 12.30 and from 3 to 6. We will open many other dates throughout august - details will be posted here when available. You can also reserve a private time for a group of 10 or more, but only during the week. See lihummer.org for contact info.

Can you spot the hummingbird in the second image? He is approaching the red flowers of Salvia superba "Louie's Delight". The blue flowers are S. guaranitica. These are 2 hummingbird favorites.