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).

Friday, May 23, 2014

First Report from the sanctuary

I arrived at the sanctuary yesterday afternoon. Lots to do over the next few weeks, but within a few minutes of sitting down outside for a post-lunch espresso, I saw an adult male hummingbird briefly visiting a clump of native columbine (Aquilegia canadensis). The feeders were all empty, but were quickly refilled and extended. No further sightings until midday today, when I saw him at a feeder for a couple of seconds only.
Brief rare sightings like this are common at the start of the season: the male spends little time feeding at one spot and is mostly doing the rounds of his territory.
The coral honeysuckle is starting to bloom, and though not for hummers so are the pink ladyslippers and some iris, and 2 brave wild dogwoods The variations on fresh green on the trees in the western valley are breathtaking. But it's so cold, wet and gray, especially after Eleuthera. Brrrr! Although there was a blissful hour of dim sun late this afternoon.
This morning I met with my lawyer Reggie Seltzer to discuss lawsuit tactics for the Preliminary Conference on tuesday morning. Unfortunately snorkeling in Eleuthera has waterlogged both my middle ears, and for 2 weeks now I've been almost deaf (except, infuriatingly, to the sound of my own mastication). Only the helicopters on their way to East Hampton for the long weekend break the silence.
On with the mowing, weeding, planting, and repairs after the hard winter. Very few of my half-hardy hummer-favorite salvias came through the cold, so will have to start again from scratch.
But despite everything it's good to be back - another world, but beautiful too, which I look forward to sharing with you via this blog, and, in august, in person.



5 comments:

  1. So glad to hear your hummers are back and you too.

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  2. looking forward to visiting the sanctuary again! Meanwhile I am happy to see that one hummer is staying in my backyard. It has white tips on the tail feathers, so I assume it's a female. Hopefully she is raising young ones soon!

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    1. Irena that is wonderful... I am still waiting .. mornings and evenings it is chlly

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  3. Thanks everyone for your kind welcome, and yes I hope you all get hummers at home, and that you come and visit in august when we re-open. Keep those feeders going (but don't put much nectar in until activity picks up). In the meantime I''ll be posting frequent reports from the sanctuary.

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