Bats !

vampirecat

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This may seem like a strange thing to do on a Saturday night, after all most people are either tucked up in front of the tv with a good film and bottle of wine or down the pub.

Well we were walking around in the dark with a torch and bat detector!
We went on an RSPB bat and owl walk last weekend, saw lots of bats but no owls unfortunately
It started about 9pm at Lake Vyrnwy and it was great fun. Lots of other people turned up for the walk, the volunteers handed out 'bat detectors' (small black box that picks up the frequency that bats call at).

One of the guys there could disguish which bat makes which call. Very interesting evening, even the rain held off untill the journey home.

It was a bit spooky around the church looking for owls
They have been seen perching on the head stones, but we didnt see any that night. Real shame, maybe next time.
 

rockcat

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Originally Posted by VampireCat

This may seem like a strange thing to do on a Saturday night, after all most people are either tucked up in front of the tv with a good film and bottle of wine or down the pub.

Well we were walking around in the dark with a torch and bat detector!
We went on an RSPB bat and owl walk last weekend, saw lots of bats but no owls unfortunately
It started about 9pm at Lake Vyrnwy and it was great fun. Lots of other people turned up for the walk, the volunteers handed out 'bat detectors' (small black box that picks up the frequency that bats call at).

One of the guys there could disguish which bat makes which call. Very interesting evening, even the rain held off untill the journey home.

It was a bit spooky around the church looking for owls :paranoia:
They have been seen perching on the head stones, but we didnt see any that night. Real shame, maybe next time.
Pretty cool! I would like to have more bats around my house to eat the mosquitoes!
 

leto86

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I don't ha ve to go far to see bats


I was sitting in the backyard the other day, watching the fire in the firepit.. when one swooped down near my head.. then after I looked up, there was 3 or 4 of them swooping this way or that way.

At least they were taking care of those pesky 'skeeters!
 
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vampirecat

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They eat an astonishing amount of insects between dusk and dawn, I really had no idea.

Bats are protected in the UK, if they roost in your house you cant move them. But then i would be more than happy if we had them. Great little creatures


We are thinking of getting some bat boxes to try and entice them to stay at our house
 

rockcat

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My family tells me that when a great-aunt was a little girl (probably around 1935), she used to have a pet bat. It apparently clung to her sweater and she would "wear" it to school.
 
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vampirecat

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We saw (and heard) the noctule, pipistrelle and daubentons bats. The great thing about it all is to actually 'hear' them calling out using their sonar.


I guess that there must be bat foster mums and dads out there who take care of the orphans. It must have been a great experience for your great-aunt to look after one of these little guys.
 

gailc

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We found a dead bat on our brick walk Sat morning!!! It had a puncture wound on its belly?? I just hope one of the cats (bobber) didn't do this!!
 

yayi

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There are lots of bats at my house. I think they nest in the trees and somewhere in the roof. Love them!
 

rachelh1018

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Speaking of bats, my boyfriend and I were at his grandparents eating dinner last night. When we went outside to hang out with his family, we saw bats. I didn't know we had bats in Middle Tennessee. I was surprised.
 

sar

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Sounds like a great Saturday night! I didn't know there were detectors to find their call, that sounds great!


When I was younger, I went to a day class in the park and made a bat box! I was so excited to give them a home only to find out - after a year in the tree - that I had birds nesting in there!
How they got in there, I have no idea!
 

pushylady

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Bats are cool! We (the cats & I) love to watch them from our balcony at night as the going zipping by. Amazing how quickly they go and they never bang into anything.
 

cinder

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We have lots of them around our place. At night when I'm in the barn they kind of swoop around, but don't really bother anything. Last month Toby got a hold of one in the house. (yes...the house) The commotion, which included a lot of running, knocking stuff over and finally growling, woke me up. He had it pinned down with his paws on the floor, but apparently hadn't damaged it yet, cause I picked it up in a towel, took it outside and off it went.

Rockcat, I can just see one hanging on someone's sweater!
I've noticed the little claws at the end of their wings that they attach to stuff with. It's really difficult to get them to let go when they don't want to.

It's amazing how many people I know are scared of them.
 
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