The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Fred's second favorite perch; Another type of flowering maple; A visit to Long Island Hummingbird Plants

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).

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Fred's second favorite perch; Another type of flowering maple; A visit to Long Island Hummingbird Plants

Here's a video of Fred on his second favorite perch, in a wild cherry that's about to bloom - though he spends much less time here than at his favorite spot. You can see Old Field Point, 23 miles away, on the horizon. Immediately after I filmed him, he shifted back to his favorite perch.

Also today, a very kind friend who overwinters some of my tropicals in a greenhouse she has access to brought a first batch to the sanctuary, including several in full bloom: a yellow angel trumpet (Brugmansia), a shrimp plants (hummer ***) and a flowering maple (abutilon), also an excellent (**) hummer plant. Thanks Rosa for taking such good care of these full-grown babies. Here's a view of the abutilon.

You can get both shrimp plant and abutilon - and a whole host of other superb hummer favorites, at Bill Koller's "Long Island Hummingbird Plants", located in Medford near exit 64 of the LIE. In particular, during my visit there 2 days ago, I saw he has treasures such as Coral Honeysuckle "Major Wheeler", many salvias, cardinal flower, Mina lobata, and best of all Lavender, Purple and Pink Porterweed, which he propagates himself. Definitely the best place on Long Island for hummingbird shopping!

1 comment:

AnonymousMay 24, 2015 at 4:56 PM
A kind friend indeed. The abutilon looks lovely and I can see why Fred likes that perch.
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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.