The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Oh Bliss - Relative Quiet! Open this afternoon; lotta hummers

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).

Thursday, September 1, 2011

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.

1 comment:

hohummSeptember 2, 2011 at 4:04 PM
We took all but one feeder down on Saturday night before the storm hit. On Sunday morning, predawn, I had a very disgruntled hummer at my window looking for "his" feeder. I wasted no time accommodating him (in spite of high wind) and we were rewarded throughout the day with hummers feeding, fighting, and chasing each other around as if it was any ordinary day. They are truly remarkable creatures and we will be sad to see them leave us in the coming days.
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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.