While the baseball season is beginning to wind down, the "Bats" are just getting started. Yes, the migrating Bats -- mostly from Mexico are arriving in big numbers. I always know the exact date they arrive. Why? Because all the hummingbird feeders are completely drained overnight. It was a mystery the first year. Finally, after four days in a row of draining the feeders at night I decided to stand watch. Much to my amazement, about 40 bats dashed from feeder to feeder, never staying more than a split second on any one feeder. They created a circular "track" of sorts; kind of like a loop, never stopping just going from feeder to feeder. As I said, an amazing sight.
Getting good photographs of this "event" has been challenging since it is completely dark and they are moving very very fast. But, with flash in hand and quick reflexes, well ........ Here are some I've taken on the feeders.
 |
| Mexican Long Tongue Bat |
 |
| Mexican Long Tongue Bat |
 |
| Mexican Long Tongue Bat |
Bats, contrary to some popular beliefs, are exceeding necessary. Case in point: Bats consume over 300,000 TONS! of insects every year in the United States. Thank you very much.
The last two photos were easy. In the first case, the Fringed Myotis was lying face down on our brick patio. He evidently flew into a window and was "knocked out." I could see that he was still breathing however. So, after taking a couple of photos, I used some towels to encircle him, trying to keep him warm and somewhat protected. I came back after about 30 minutes and he was gone.
 |
| Fringed Myotis |
And, the last photo a sleeping Mexican Long Nosed Bat -- all by himself, asleep under the eave of our roof.
 |
| Sleeping Mexican Long Nose Bat |
