Helicopter Noise Meeting; Lady Di's Chick growing fast; flowering maple vid with attack

There will be a very important meeting about helicopter (and other aircraft) noise created by commuter traffic from Manhattan to East Hampton Airport (KHTO) on wed evening (aug 27) , starting at 6.30, at the LTV studios at 75 Industrial Road, Wainscott, E. Hampton. The East Hampton Town Board will be hearing public comments about the noise problem, anf they probably have more control over possible solutions than anyone else.

This problem affects almost everyone on Long Island to some degree. However it's particularly important for the BH Hummingbird Sanctuary: the noise from these flights stops normal conversation and makes it impossible to hear the subtle buzzing and chirping of the hummingbirds. It's gotten steadily worse over the last ten years, as the Hamptons and Manhattan have each become the exclusive domain of the rich, who can afford the astronomical cost of these polluting flights. The rational and decent solution to the traffic problems on the south fork is to improve the roads and railroad, not to inflict harassment and stress on tens of thousands of people who had sought the peace and quiet of the east end, and who do not live in or near East Hampton. But of course the US no longer invests in infrastructure or indeed its future, merely in corporate welfare and military adventures.

I know it's a long drive out to Wainscott but if you can possibly do it wed evening and speak about the noise problem, either at the sanctuary or at your own home, I would be very grateful. This might be our one chance to convince the EH Town Board to do the right thing. I chose the land on which the sanctuary sits for the extreme quiet that existed there 23 years ago, never thinking that a location so far from everything could become the target of noise bombardment by people commuting between Manhattan and KHTO, rather than via the obvious direct over-Atlantic route, but via LI Sound and the North Fork. It's difficult to beleive that something so crazy could come to pass, but it has, and this tear alone helicopter traffic (the worst but not the only offender) has increased by 60% compared to last year. If this continues I will have to leave Baiting Hollow, once an oasis of calm.

Here are a couple of new pictures of the nest in Manorville. The first shows that the baby now almost fills the nest (the remaining egg still unhatched), and the second shows Lady Di feeding it. Note that the chick's beak is short and stubby, unlike the adult's. Thanks Dominick!

Here at the sanctuary there's good availability aug 25 pm, aug 26 pm, aug 27 pm and some at other posted times

And here's a recent movie (4X slo-mo) showing a hummer feeding at a bell-like Abutilon blossom, and then, near the end, being attacked by another hummer. Even in slo mo it all happens extremely fast, but you can see how the attacker flares his tail in warning.