The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Kids and Hummingbirds; Visiting

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).

Monday, August 29, 2016

Kids and Hummingbirds; Visiting

Currently Available Visiting Dates (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY: paul.adams^stonybrook.edu

any time between am:(10-12.30) or pm : (3-5)

CLOSED LABOR DAY
tues sept 6 am, pm
wed sept 7 am only
thur sept 8 am,pm
friday pm only
sat or sunday: half-day TBA
tuesday sept 13 am,pm
wed sept 14 am only
thur sept 15: am, pm
all dates rain or shine; no early birds!
We then close for the year; next season (july 20 -sept 15 2017) will be our LAST!

One of the greatest pleasures of the summer is seeing the delight children take in the hummingbirds at the sanctuary. Indeed encouraging children's interest in nature is one of the reasons I open the sanctuary to visitors, and it's sad that after next year I have to close the sanctuary to general visitors. A wonderful summer nature camp for kids (grades K-6), enthusiastically and knowledgeably led by the marvelous musician/artist/naturalist duo Johnny and Kristen Cuomo, has visited the sanctuary for many years and here's a sample of the children's art work from their visit this year.

4 comments:

UnknownAugust 29, 2016 at 8:29 AM
Beautiful pictures. Such inspiration!
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Lee@A Guide to Northeastern GardeningAugust 29, 2016 at 10:03 AM
The children's paintings are wonderful. I have always wanted to visit your sanctuary as I have a love of hummingbirds. I hope to be able to get there before it closes for general visitors. Keep up your wonderful work!
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Paul AdamsAugust 29, 2016 at 10:03 PM
Few opportunities left for this week, but plenty more in the following 2 weeks; we then close until 2016 - our final season1
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firewalker57October 2, 2016 at 12:43 PM
Happy Fall I am sorry I had not been able to get to the sanctuary this past year, I so love it there. I had three hummers here who left abruptly the weekend of the storm. I felt I would enjoy the ones here so others might visit your beautiful site Enjoy your winter hummingbird season and I hope to visit next year. Stay well
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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.