The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Report from Baiting Hollow.

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).

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Report from Baiting Hollow.

Columbine flowering in Baiting Hollow may 22 2014. I remember seeing hummers visiting this clump when we first returned last year.

I was released from the hospital friday evening, and will complete the 7-day course of antibiotics orally. Claire and I went out to the Sanctuary in Baiting Hollow this morning, in absolutely stunning weather. All looks well out there. I hung up several feeders, Claire cut a bunch of daffodils to bring home - I had not seen the daffodils in many years. There was very little sign of life in the flower beds, though the wild columbines (Aquilegia canadensis) are emerging from the ground. Wild columbine is an important source of nectar for arriving hummers. I see that the winter must have been very severe - no sign of life from the stubs of my large Salvia greggii plant that has survived many winters in the past. But I was too tired to investigate much.
I sat for 5 minutes viewing the opulent Sound, with Connecticut happily shrouded from view. Looks like the red maples are beginning to flower, which will be good for the hummers.
But I am exhausted by my illness - I've never felt so pathetically weak in my whole life, and I did not take any photographs. I almost look like an Auschwitz survivor, having lost 14 pounds from an already skinny frame. Hopefully each day will bring a slight improvement, and I'm enjoying seeing the flowers of the early Long Island spring, especially the magnolias.

3 comments:

UnknownApril 19, 2015 at 11:06 PM
Hoping you feel better soon, wishing you a speedy recovery.
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Paul AdamsApril 21, 2015 at 8:34 PM
Thanks Bridgette, I think I'm starting to recover, even though extremely slowly. Will go out to the sanctuary in a day or 2 and see if the feeders I managed to hang up are attracting any customers.
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Paul AdamsApril 21, 2015 at 8:35 PM
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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.