It was a normal night in the aviary, watching the bats fly, seeing who looks ready for release and who needs more time.  The eastern red pup that was low on the side wall this morning was flying beautifully so he seems to be recovered.  The northern yellows were flying with astonishing speed and power and I just managed to get a shot of one of the pups (at bottom of the post).
All of a sudden, the yellows crashed back into their palm fronds, I looked up, saw a shadow, and just got this shot as a Barred Owl flew right over the flight cage with a bluejay in it’s talons!

Barred Owl with Bluejay

All the bats took cover so I looked for the owl in a nearby tree and found it staring back at me.
Barred Owl

I watched it feed on the bluejay for half an hour before it went on about its business.  Just check out this series of photos!
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl feeding
Barred Owl & blue feathers 2

After the shadow of the Barred Owl crossed over the aviary the second time, not a single bat flew for the next few hours!
Here’s the photo of the Yellow taken just before the owl crossed over the cage with the jay.  Is it me, or is he shouting “Incoming!”
Northern yellow pup

bluejay feathers

Found under tree next day


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

 


Hours old new-born Mexican free-tailed bat pup.

The face that gets hundreds of millions of Central Texas mums out of the roost each evening to go to work in the agricultural fields.

Check out that cute little nursing nose; like all mammals, makes it easier to nurse and makes the pups even more irresistable.

newborn Tabr use this one