The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Closed today, basically until 2012!

BASICS

BASICS: "Hummingbirds.....where is the person, I ask, who, on observing this glittering fragment of the rainbow, would not pause, admire, and turn his mind with reverence..." (J. J. Audubon).

This is a blog about my summer life at the Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary, at my winter garden, Calypso, in the Bahamas, and aspects of life in general.

This private sanctuary is now permanently closed to the general public, as a result of a lawsuit brought by a neighbor. Only my friends and personal guests may visit (paul.adams%stonybrook.edu).

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

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.

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FAQs

1. How can I visit? Unless you are an invited friend or personal guest of the owner, Paul Adams, you cannot. The sanctuary is now permanently closed to the general public.

2.Why did the sanctuary close? The sanctuary opened, on a very limited basis, during 1998-2017. However, a neighbor, Kamal Bherwani, and 2 former neighbors, Fred Terry and Shawn Hamilton, brought a $3 million lawsuit, and forced complete and permanent closing. The plaintiffs claimed, incorrectly, that the sanctuary was a "commercial business". Though no evidence for this claim was, or could be, produced, the owner decided to settle the lawsuit and permanently close.

3. When do the hummingbirds arrive and leave, and where do they go for the winter?

They arrive on Long Island late april, and early may. They leave between aug 1 and oct 1. The adult males arrive and leave first, then the adult females, then the young, in order of fledging. They all go to central America via the Gulf of Mexico.

3. What varieties do we have at the sanctuary?

Only the ruby-throat (only the adult male has the ruby throat). This is the only one that breeds east of the Mississipi. The US has about 9 other species but they are all western.

4. Why are there rocks in the trees? How long have you had this place?

I have had the property for 27 years and each year I put a new rock to mark the beginning of a new hummingbird season (may 1).

5. What is the best place to sit to see hummingbirds?

On your bottom! Since you may have to wait a bit choose the spot that best suits you.

6. How can I attract hummers to my yard?

Plant cardinal flower (right variety!) and black-and-blue salvia, maintain a couple of small clean feeders, both placed where you spend a lot of time outdoors (or in front of a picture window). Read this blog or lihummer.org for further suggestions.

BASICS

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Closed today, basically until 2012!

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