The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Hummingbird Mural in Downtown Riverhead Saved! The Lawsuit.....

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).

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Hummingbird Mural in Downtown Riverhead Saved! The Lawsuit.....

There's a very pretty hummingbird mural in downtown Riverhead. It was recently threatened with removal, but it now seems as if it might stay: http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2015/08/67287/hummingbird-mural-to-stay-building-owner-says/
The artist, Caitlyn Shea , created a Facebook page to petition to have it stay. Here's the link (see also my "Links" section in the right-hand column of this blog):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/497974383699024/

Here at the sanctuary it looks like yet another beautiful day ahead. The wind yesterday and this morning is from the north west, which often triggers southerly departure, and hummer activity was only moderate yesterday compared to the previous week. However it will turn southwesterly this afternoon, which I hope will cause some hummers to stop at the sanctuary on their southerly migration.

Here's another recent photo by Greg Olanoff:

Newcomers to the blog probably don't realize that some of my neighbors are suing me to close the sanctuary completely and for $3,000,000 damages. You can find links to various documents about this ongoing nightmare in the right-hand column of this blog, under "Interesting Links". I'll review the current state of the lawsuit in future posts, but meanwhile some of you might like to read these documents as background.

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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.

BASICS

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Hummingbird Mural in Downtown Riverhead Saved! The Lawsuit.....

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