Bugbear: the bats are out and about...

[cessna152towser]

Spoke too soon when I said the Scottish bats were in hibernation.
Walking back home from visiting Ann today, in the late afternoon darkness, I heard the repeated squeak of a bat in close proximity though I could not see it.

[piperdbh]

So who else likes to throw small pebbles into the air and watch a bat follow them almost to the ground?

[artificer]

Bats are into hibernation in Scotland at this time of year, indoors in old buildings or disused railway tunnels. I probably won't see any until March.

They're all napping until SPRING here as well. We had our first hard frost a few weeks ago. I don't think I've seen one for over 6 weeks here, and I'm up L.A.T.E (ie frequently all night)

So who else likes to throw small pebbles into the air and watch a bat follow them almost to the ground?

I'll admit to giving the bats fits when I was younger by tossing up a balled up sock or similar and catching them in a towel when they dove down to catch it.

In my defense, we never hurt them, they were just so cool to look at, especially the great huge ones.

I'm lucky enough to live on the largest stretch of wooded land in the entire county, so we get LOTS of bats on a warm summer evening. I'm not mentioning the owls, deer, raccoon, skunk, badger, weasel, fisher, coyote, wolves, etc, etc that haunt our neighborhood.

I got the be-jesus scared out of me when, after (another) sleepless night, I came upstairs to the main levels of the house, made a cuppa tea, and looked out the kitchen window- only to see a HUGE head staring back at me! Some silly deer was standing in my shrubbery, staring at me in my dressing gown- two days of stubble and a half-brewed cuppa in my hand. I nearly widdled myself... It's not the type of thing one expects to see at 0430 out the window. I'm rather proud of myself that I didn't drop my favorite mug or waken the rest of the house.

[Orthzar]

I've been down to Austin and have also tubed the Frio river several times. I always thought bats were like birds, but much more twitchy. I was hoping that Dallas would eventually build a bridge like Austin has, so that the bats can reduce the mosquito population in the area. My only concern about bats would be the rabid bats, but I bet you only get bit if you capture them without leather gloves.

I got the be-jesus scared out of me when, after (another) sleepless night, I came upstairs to the main levels of the house, made a cuppa tea, and looked out the kitchen window- only to see a HUGE head staring back at me! Some silly deer was standing in my shrubbery, staring at me in my dressing gown- two days of stubble and a half-brewed cuppa in my hand. I nearly widdled myself... It's not the type of thing one expects to see at 0430 out the window. I'm rather proud of myself that I didn't drop my favorite mug or waken the rest of the house.

Artificer, if I saw a pair of eyes at 4:30am staring at me, I would first think it was a demon, and then a SWAT team member with some night vision goggles on. I am far too paranoid.

[Bugbear]

All the night creatures...

There was a great horned owl down the street last year, but it was only passing through for an evening if I remember correctly.

[Irish Jack O'Brian]

I nearly widdled myself....

I too live in the country and love the open space and the abundant wildlife, though it's only my 5 acres! About two months ago, I was up at about 3:00 AM (a night owl like Artificer) and had gone out into the front yard under a new moon to...well, 'widdle.' Standing in the dark, part way through my assignment, a rhinoceros charged at me from across the lawn, crashing through the cedar break and heading right toward me!!

Or...that's what it sounded like. If you are familiar with the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), you will know it to be small, nocturnal, common to Texas...and incredibly noisy when frightened.

I leave to your imagination the sight of an old man running for dear life, unzipped, before the snarling giant glyptodon.

[Even my wife doesn't know the whole of this story.]

[artificer]

Artificer, if I saw a pair of eyes at 4:30am staring at me, I would first think it was a demon, and then a SWAT team member with some night vision goggles on. I am far too paranoid.

It wasn't just eyes. The deer's great horned head was about 6" from the windowpane, so even in the fairly dim light I wander about in I could see it's whole face, although it's eyeshine was still quite bright.

[BoldHighlander]

I love how these threads take on a life of their own!

I got the be-jesus scared out of me when, after (another) sleepless night, I came upstairs to the main levels of the house, made a cuppa tea, and looked out the kitchen window- only to see a HUGE head staring back at me! Some silly deer was standing in my shrubbery, staring at me in my dressing gown- two days of stubble and a half-brewed cuppa in my hand. I nearly widdled myself... It's not the type of thing one expects to see at 0430 out the window. I'm rather proud of myself that I didn't drop my favorite mug or waken the rest of the house.

The visual image is great Scott, thanks!

I live in a "city" that is only minutes from the wooded regions of the pacific nw, with lots of greenspace within, and as such gets its share of wildlife visitors, mainly in the forms of deer (a real traffic hazard at night), raccoons, possums, skunks (earlier this year our collie got sprayed just out by the garage), coyotes, & all kinds of winged critters (just the other day a pair of bald eagles flew low past my house!). Once ina blue moon there are cougar sightings on the fringe of town, and the odd bear sighting.

In thinking about your deer, Scott, I'm reminded of one late night while on foot patrol (security guard), as I was rounding the corner of a condo I heard the sound of running feet on the foot path, only to confront (& nearly get speared) by a 6 point buck running nearly into me!

Another night I saw a "dog" crossing the small park straight at me (I was in the shadows), when I noticed his very bushy tail. I realized it was a coyote & I whistled out at him. He stopped within 40', I then lit him up with my flashlight & he slowly turned and headed back towards the woods. I think he was out hunting neighborhood cats.

Or...that's what it sounded like. If you are familiar with the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), you will know it to be small, nocturnal, common to Texas...and incredibly noisy when frightened.

I leave to your imagination the sight of an old man running for dear life, unzipped, before the snarling giant glyptodon.

[Even my wife doesn't know the whole of this story.]

The infamous "Texas Turkey"!!!

[ohiopiper]

When I was a kid, we'd shoot at them with our spring-powered BB-guns. Not to harm them, as they are far too quick. It was fun to watch them dodge a slow flying BB as they were scooping up mosquitos. How they knew the difference, I've no idea, but i cannot recall a single incident of a bat going for the BB, only dodging them. Pretty impressive to watch.

Like a lot of things I did as a kid, now I just shake my head and marvel that I survived to adulthood.

We did trap one in the house when I was a kid. We were all geting ready for church one Sunday morning when my sister began screaming like a banshee. Upon investigation, she was curled up in the fetal position at the foot of her bed with this poor bat circling the top of the room, obviously driven to distraction by the incessant screaming. Dad and I caught it in a towel and threw it out the back door.

[Bugbear]

Actually, I have a cat that likes for me to throw a stick or pebble to land near him so he can pounce on it. Kind of like playing fetch.

I'm fairly sure the cat knows I am throwing the stick or pebble because he meows if I wait too long to throw it. It's very funny.