Bats In My Citrus Trees

[BoldHighlander]

Over in Phoenix proper, there is a large drainage tunnel that is a nesting roost for the Mexican freetail bat, and I understand there is a very large number of bats that roost there. There's also a large number of bat watchers that roost near by to see the bats swarm out at twilight.

I have in-laws in Austin TX, and if I ever make it back that way again I want to visit the Congress Avenue Bridge and see the bats fly out of there in the evening.



from the web link:
"The Congress Avenue Bridge spans Town Lake in downtown Austin and is home to the largest urban bat colony in North America. The colony is estimated at 1.5 million Mexican free-tail bats. Each night from mid-March to November, the bats emerge from under the bridge at dusk to blanket the sky as they head out to forage for food."

Also from the website they say that during migrations to Mexico and back, the bats may reach an altitude of 10,000 feet and velocities of 60 miles per hour!!!