The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Open today wed am and pm; firespike in slo mo

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).

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Open today wed am and pm; firespike in slo mo

We are open today (wed) 9.30-12.30 and 3-5.30. We will be open tomorrow also, am and pm. Looks like a beautiful day - why not combine your visit with one to the new Butterfly Exhibit next to the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead? It's only 5 minutes away. Let us know who has more butterflies! -and tell them the Hummingbird Sanctuary sent you.
I show another Linda Sullivan photo of a hummer at firespike (Odontonema strictum), And here is a link to a youtube slo mo video that a visitor made of a hummer at this same firespike:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SF0KUZtr7I
I'll post more slo-mo video links soon.

2 comments:

AnonymousAugust 22, 2012 at 2:14 PM
I wanted to thank you for opening up your garden and spending time talking my my friends and me yesterday. As promised, I have written a post about our visit with links to your blog and website. I hope you enjoy it. http://wp.me/p1w6cN-13C
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sunsetsAugust 22, 2012 at 9:23 PM
Back to Long Island all the way from Virginia to feed my soul at this exquisite Sanctuary! So grateful that you share your passion with us!
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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.