The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Today was our last available day this year

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).

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Today was our last available day this year

The above exquisite photo was taken recently at the sanctuary by Bob Immoor. The hummingbird is feeding at Salvia greggi "Cherry Queen" (**). Notice the golden pollen at the base of the beak.

Our last "open by appointment" session of 2014 was this morning. This afternoon we had a small group of photographers from NYC. We are now closed for the season, though of course old and new friends are welcome to contact me to arrange mutually convenient times to visit, before or after the hummers all leave. Clearly many have already set out on their southward journey to the Gulf Coast and then on to Central America, and numbers have been down for several days now, although we still have at least 3 still around. Everyone has been very cooperative with our new visiting policies, with a few forgivable exceptions. I thank all my wonderful guests whose visits I have greatly enjoyed: hummingbird enthusiasts are amongst the nicest people around, and I look forward to many more happy seasons in the years to come. I hope now to get back to filming the antics and posing of the remaining birds! Please check out this blog from time to time to see what is going on at the Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary!

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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

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Today was our last available day this year

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