The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Both chicks fledged; nest empty

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, March 19, 2014

Both chicks fledged; nest empty

This morning at 9 there was still one chick in the nest, and Gumbo was feeding both the nestling and yesterday's fledgling (Paul and Claire). At 10 the nest was empty. I settled in and studied the tree. Soon I saw a small hummingbird quietly perched almost 4 feet vertically above the nest. I suspected this was Paul, the second to fledge. After a short while Gumbo arrived. After her usual cautious appraisal, she inspected the nest, and then quite quickly, realizing her second baby had fledged, and perhaps hearing some tiny peeps, she spotted Paul, and started feeding him. Then over the course of an hour, she returned to him several times, as well as feeding her other chick, Claire, who was moving around quite a bit in the tree top, and more difficult to spot. Finally Paul flew just a couple of feet to a slightly different spot, where Gumbo again returned to feed him. Unfortunately there's a large piece of new fluff on the camera sensor.
Here's one of the feeding episodes between Gumbo and Paul (of course I don't yet know the sexes of the 2 fledglings).

This afternoon I inspected the now deserted nest: impeccably clean inside, and lined with very soft down.

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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, March 19, 2014

Both chicks fledged; nest empty

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