The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary: mullein

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).

Showing posts with label mullein. Show all posts

Friday, August 5, 2011

Open today 9.30-12.30 only; drops of blood

We will be open today from 9.30 to 12.30 - see lihummer.org for directions, info etc. However, there are not a lot of hummingbirds around so far. The image is from Anthony Chartoff last year and shows a juvenile male hummer perched on the tip of a mullein flower stalk. There are already a few red throat feathers in place, but the full ruby "gorget" will only be complete just before the spring northward migration. In juvenile males these feathers can look like drops of blood in bright light.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

OPEN TODAY 9.30-12.30 and 3-6; Mullein perch

We are open today 9.30-12.30 and 3-6. Please see lihummer.org for directions and info. Yesterday morning the weather was beautiful but more visitors than hummingbirds. In the afternoon the weather worsened, so there were fewer visitors but more hummers. I will update the blog today to report on numbers: there are certainly hummers around, but how good the day will turn out remains to be seen. The photo above was taken last year by Aram - it shows a young hummer perched on a mullein flower stalk. If any of our visitors takes a nice image this year, send them to me - I will post them on the blog.

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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.