The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: open today (wed) 9.30-12.30 only; adult male

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).

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

open today (wed) 9.30-12.30 only; adult male

We will be open this morning 9.30-12.30 but I expect rather low levels of hummingbird activity because the wind is now squarely in the north and quite strong, so most birds will be moving southwards. We will probably be open thursday both am and pm, but pm will probably be better as the wind moves back to the west and then southwest. We are always closed 12.30 - 3 pm, and if you tell your friends about us please make that fact clear, and insist that they go to the blog for info before coming out -yesterday someone rudely interrupted my vital nap!

It's possible we will be open on a few sporadic occasions after Sept 4, but don't count on it.

The photo, by Fung Wan Kwong, shows an adult male. He has lost some throat feathers, and is probably molting (they acquire a new set each year, mostly during their tropical winter) but he might also have suffered wear after a summer of combat.

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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

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

open today (wed) 9.30-12.30 only; adult male

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