The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: Second LaLa Update

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).

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Second LaLa Update

I now have a second LaLa update, this from MaryLaura, a local naturalist who has written extensively about hummingbirds and other birds for the "Kingbird", the journal of the New York State Ornithological Association. She reports as follows:

"SHE LIVES!!!! I just came back and was there for 1 hour. After waiting for 1/2 hour I feared she had succumbed to the below zero temps last night. Then, I thought I heard hummingbird squeaking! Sure enough-I have no idea where she came from-she appeared and never shut up! I thought she was annoyed with me (or perhaps cursing the cold.) She tried to feed on a frozen feeder (all were frozen solid except the heated feeder) next to the heated one. She then went back to her perch so I waited another 15 minutes and she then finally went to the heated feeder to feed.She returned to her perch again and never stopped squeaking. Maybe she was glad to see me??Anyhow, obviously the heated feeder is keeping her alive. The solution at the top of the heated feeder was frozen but halfway down it was liquid and the ports were full of liquid, so it is working. We had a temp of about 14 last night without the wind chill so I assume it was with the wind about 5-10 below zero."

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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

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Second LaLa Update

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