The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: NOW CLOSED! Latest Lady DI photo and videos; sanctuary closing for the season: no more slots left

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).

Saturday, August 30, 2014

NOW CLOSED! Latest Lady DI photo and videos; sanctuary closing for the season: no more slots left

Here's the latest image from Dominick Gerace of the current hummingbird nest in his back yard Manorville. Lady's Di's chick, without competition from a sibling (the second egg in the nest failed to hatch) has grown phenomenally fast, completely fills the lichen-decorated nest, and will soon be fledging. After fledging I expect the chick will remain near the nest for a few days and Lady Di will continue feeding him/her insects and nectar. These will be perilous days for the chick - let's hope there are no cats around.

Dominick has posted a new vid of Lady Di feeding her chick at his Youtube channel. You can see it here.

Sorry, our aug 31 slot is now full. will re-open in august next year. I expect hummingbirds will still be here for another month, and old and new friends can of course sometimes visit me by private appointment at mutually convenient times.

No comments:

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

Saturday, August 30, 2014

NOW CLOSED! Latest Lady DI photo and videos; sanctuary closing for the season: no more slots left

No comments:

Post a Comment