For the Congress Avenue Bridge bats, the scariest time of year is 4th of July, when the annual fireworks display takes place just a few hundred yards to the east of the bridge.  The bats are emerging at dark this time of year, exactly at the time the fireworks start.  The emergence peaks around 9:30 pm this time of year, just when the fireworks are reaching their crescendo, seen in yellow on the left.
We normally see greatly reduced emergences for a number of days after the 4th.

4th of July 2016


The Center for Biological Diversity and Defenders of Wildlife petitioned the US Fish & Wildlife Service this week to list the Tri-colored bat as endangered.  This petition recognizes the impact of WNS spreading into the Southeast and Midwestern US.

TricoloredBatPetition_06-14-2016

 


Easter Bat – 911

First thing this morning we got a call from the Austin Police Department. Our first reaction? We didn’t do it! Then they said “We have a bat in the main building downtown, can Dianne come and help us?” So, ready to protect and to serve, we saved the APD from this bat. She sure does seem ferocious!


It’s a Happy Valentine’s Day for this little male Mexican free-tailed bat!   He came to us from our friends at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in Kendalia, TX and he’s now flying free under the Congress Avenue Bridge, in plenty of time for mating season!