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, May 23, 2015

Fred pays a call of nature; sunset; where to get good hummingbird plants; Nest Cam

Fred continues to spend times, and pennies, on his favorite perch:


Yesterday was a clear cool evening (woodstove still going). Here is the sunset:


And here is a west-east panorama just after sunset.




In my last post I wrote that the best (and only specialized) place for hummingbird-friendly plants is Long Island Hummingbird Plants. Bill Koller knows what works, since he gets hummers in his yard. But many of the plants centers and nurseries on the island carry good hummer-plants. However, you must be careful to remember that the sales staff might not know what is best. For example, they might have seen a hummer visiting a geranium, petunia or impatiens in their yard, and recommend these plants. However, the key is to see what hummers PREFER not what they visit. They will also visit bits of red tape, but I don't recommend you festoon your yard with red tape - the flower has to reward the hummer with nectar (preferably lots of it), ortherwise he won't come back.

That being said here are a few of my other favorite places, mostly either near Baiting Hollow or Stony Brook.

Peconic River Herb Farm (Calverton)
Beds and Borders (wholesale, but with a retail outlet in Laurel, and wide distribution).
Colorful Gardens (wide distribution, and an outlet in Jamesport)
Long Island Perennial Farm (Baiting Hollow)
Kunz (Port Jeff)
B & G (St James)
Homeside Florist (Tropicals, Riverhead)
Olde Towne Gardene of Setaukete
Trimbles (Cutchogue)
Lynch's Garden Center (Southhampton)
Marders (Bridgehampton).

I'll soon write about more, and also give specific plants recommendations (see also lihummer.org)

Here's a cool live webcam showing 2 babies in a hummingbird nest in California (see also link in right column of this blog): http://explore.org/live-cams/player/bella-hummingbird-nest


1 comment:

  1. Fantastic videos. Amazing red sunset. So cute, the babies look ready to leave the nest soon.

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