A slaughter! BATS

[The Snark]

Right now... A geyser of termites emerging over the neighbors house (nuptials time) a few feet away and above them a vast cloud of bats seriously pigging out. At a guess about 150. Too bad it's near dark and overcast. Camera won't pick anything up.
I love watching bats. Every zig or zag is another bug biting the dust.

 

[keks]

I love bats too. Once my daughter sheltered one, it was in the drain of a rain gutter (I hope this is right?). We brought it to the bat-shelter in the Natural Historic Museum in Vienna, and got a guided tour for free through the museum therefore ^^.
The bat was Nyctalus leisleri, totally exhausted from its journey from Russia to Austria. So it fell into the rain gutter. It was a very exciting, to care for this species for one day. With the professional care of the NHM it recovered in short time and was returned to the wild
Here I can watch four or five bats. About 150 bats at once must be great sight .

 

[The Snark]

That is nice. Especially having a bat shelter available!

This is most unusual, the great flock? of bats. Never seen this many at once. Out every night for a week now. If anyone savvy with digital cameras has suggestions on settings to catch a video of them I'd mucho appreciate it. (A Nikon 3400 if that helps). Might even get lucky and have a sunset behind them.

 

[keks]

Yep. But unfortunately many people still fear bats. Like spiders/tarantulas.

It is a pity, that you can't make a video. I can't help you in this case.

 

[Ellenantula]

I bet bats are cool -- I have never actually seen one in person -- just pix. Oh well.

 

[schmiggle]

I have only one suggestion--does your camera have a nighttime setting?

 

[The Snark]

I have only one suggestion--does your camera have a nighttime setting?

Yes, but won't take a video in that mode. I don't think. Duhhh.

I forgot to mention, there was a Mina out trying to get it's own share of the termites, trying to emulate the bats. Hilarious. Think an old M38 jeep on the Indy track with the formula 1s.

 

[vespers]

I love watching bats.

Me too. I've been watching bats at dusk ever since I've been a young boy. Many of my tattoos are bats or have bats in them. I have at least 20 on me if I counted each individual one.

 

[Vermis]

Read the topic title and thought someone was slaughtering bats! Glad to see it's bats filling their boots.

What's a Mina? Spelling variant of Myna?

 

[Nephila Edulis]

Thousands of fat filled, slow flying biscuits? Every predator from a mile around would be pigging out

 

[darkness975]

Around where I am it is mostly Myotis lucifugus that is seen in the spring/summer/early fall months.

Don't get me started on the whole White Nose Syndrome, though

Hopefully they can be saved. From what I read, the condition does not affect animals in Europe but in the USA it does. Something about not having sufficient immunity built up or some such explanation.

 

[The Snark]

What's a Mina? Spelling variant of Myna?

Sorry. Yes. It's really MINE-a. So named by yours truly for the constant incessant battles they are engaged in over who owns what part of the road kills.