The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Autumn Sage

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).

Friday, August 22, 2014

Autumn Sage

It's cool once again - too cool for me - and thoughts turn to the looming fall. So today I''ll focus on autumn sage, Salvia greggii **. This grows naturally in dry, rocky, soil, southwest Texas and northern Mexico, but it does surprisingly well on Long Island, especially if it has good drainage. It often comes through the winter, and I now have had a small bush for 15 years, growing in a crack in a south-facing sheltered concrete slab. Here's a recent photo, by Greg Olanoff.

Typically it's red or pink, but there are a lot of varieties around, including the pretty "Hot Lips", with a a red-lipped white flower.
Crushing a leaf unleashes a wonderful aromatic smell. Salvias generally have aromatic smells, attractive to humans but unpalatable to deer, and it's this feature that makes my hummingbird garden here in woods infested with deer possible. Here's Salvia guaranitica *** (the commonly-available selection "Black and Blue") again (see yesterday's post) in another great photo by Greg Olanoff.

To end up here's another cute photo from Greg. Note the golden pollen at the base of the bill.

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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

Friday, August 22, 2014

Autumn Sage

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