The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: New Visiting Slots Available; Drought! (of rain, not hummers)

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).

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

New Visiting Slots Available; Drought! (of rain, not hummers)

Current Visiting Opportunity

am:(10-12.30) and pm : (3-5)

Tuesday Aug 23 pm only

Wed aug 24 am, pm

Thur aug 25 am,pm

Fri aug 26 am only

No weekend opportunity.

Lots more dates in the following 3 weeks to come (including 2 weekend slots) !

In the past 4 months there has been a total of 4.45 inches of rain at the Reeves Beach Weather Station, slightly east of the Sanctuary. I have never known such a dry summer here. A desert receives only slightly less (3.3 inches in 4 months). Of course it's made worse by the high temperatures.

The stunning photos below were taken recently at the sanctuary by Wayne Shen.

The first 2 feature rosebud sage (Salvia involucrata "Bethellii"), a top hummer plant (still available at Long Island Hummingbird Plants ), and the bottom one aniseed sage "Black and Blue" (S. guarantica cultivar). Note the silvery tongue protruding in the third photo. Still 2 months of hummer activity to go! (and 1 month of visiting to the sanctuary).

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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

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

New Visiting Slots Available; Drought! (of rain, not hummers)

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