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, July 9, 2016

Lawsuit Settlement; Birding Avalon

The lawsuit settlement, finalized last thursday, will allow me to receive the general public during the current hummingbird season (july 20 - sept 15) BUT ONLY ON LIMITED, SELECTED AND ANNOUNCED DAYS AND HOURS AND ONLY BY CONFIRMED APPOINTMENT. Details of visiting procedures and dates will be announced soon at this blog. Please do not request appointments except for announced dates and times. Any request for an appointment other than at announced dates/times will be ignored. Rigorous adherence to the terms of the settlement, and to blog-posted procedures is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL; ignoring them could result in immediate permanent closure of the sanctuary to all, and possible prison time for me. Further details of the, rather disappointing, settlement terms, and their background, will be soon posted at this blog, but the settlement document itself, though not secret, will not be posted here. Of course personal friends are welcome to visit, by appointment only, at any time.
The sanctuary will be open next year's season as well, but will then close permanently, at least under present ownership. Details to follow.

As my most faithful readers know, one of my favorite places on Long Island, other than the hummingbird sanctuary, is Avalon, near our home in Stony Brook. I was birding there with my son Jamie (visiting from North Carolina), and the flowers (unlike the birds) were spectacular. I've vainly tried to persuade the Riverhead Open Space committee, who manage the Sound Ave Preserve, which lies at the start of the road that leads to the hummingbird sanctuary, that they should at least take a look at Avalon. The key is simply to mow the once-open fields once a year, in the winter, to keep out all the invasive shrubs and trees; the paths should also simply be mowed, rather than being covered in coarse twiggy mulch - much easier to walk.
Here are some clips from our visit this morning.
























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