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, September 3, 2017

Footless; Dates


Today's brilliant photo from the sanctuary is by Bob Immoor.

Currently available appointment dates are as follows:   tues sept 12, pm only; wed sept 13, am only; thur sept 14 am,pm; fri sept 15 pm only. am = 10-12.30; pm = 3-5.  Please email paul.adams$stonybrook.edu to request an appointment. If you could walk up the half-mile from Sound Ave, please let me know. After September 15 we will permanently close to the general public, because of a lawsuit brought by a neighbor. However, we hope to re-open next year under a new owner, the Seatuck Association. If you would like to help make that happen, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to them, mentioning the Hummingbird Sanctuary. 

Hummingbirds are traditionally placed, together with swifts, in the order "Apodiformes", meaning "footless". This is a reference to their very small feet, which are not used for walking. However, as Bob's picture (and Mark's picture in my previous post) beautifully illustrate, their feet are far from totally lacking, or even particularly small. However when flying they are held tucked under the body, like a plane's undercarriage, and not very obvious. Hummingbirds now have their own order, the Trochiliformes, which is part of a "super-order", the Apodimorphae. This is an extremely large order, exceeded in species richness only by the songbirds.

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