Bat House Forum

[Terry Lobdell]

Here is a link with pictures of 2 viewing boxes I have at Woodcock Creek Nature Center here in NWPA. We had at least 70 maybe even 80 little browns in these boxes the night of July 19, 2011!

http://creekconnections.shutterfly.com/12227

[Markcuda]

Very nice, thank you for sharing.

[mhutter5068]

Nice pictures

[Teddy Dee]

That is so neat ! And on so many levels .
Thanks Terry . You hit a home run with this .

[Terry Lobdell]

Thanks all! I've got 2 state parks here in PA that want to put in there own viewing boxes now!

[William Bagwell]

I like it too!

Did not notice the cable and pulley system the first time I viewed the set. Guess I was in a hurry that day... Cleverest part is the wooden 'square tube' since that not only allows you to lower the boxes on the post, it also prevents them from rotating when in the air.

Presume you wait until the colony has imprinted on the box before lowering it for the first time?

William

[Terry Lobdell]

William, I mounted the first box (the square multiple crevice one) last year and we got usage right away. The first time I lowered it I did get a couple fly out as I was lowering it. I did have some trouble with the brake slipping on the way down which caused some jarring of the box. I have since learned to press inward on the crank handle which makes the brake hold tighter.......as long as there is no jarring I have never had a bat fly out while I lower the box.

Last year we had around 12 to 15 bats use the first box which only shows a side view.........this year I added the back to back (single crevice on both sides) box. It shows a much better view of the bats.

The staff at this location start taking interested visitors out to look at the bats as soon as they are roosting in the spring........we never really waited for them to imprint on the boxes........This year after pups started flying these boxes just filled up!

Last year we left the box lowered only about 4 feet off the ground and the bats continued to come and go with no problem!

This past winter I mounted a little rain shield/roof above my winch to protect it from the elements and bat guano and urine. This does present a flight obstacle so we have been raising it back up after each viewing........

To answer your question more clearly, if I would have had mothers with pups in this box I would not have lowered it at all..........it really worked out great that the pups used it right away after they started flying!

Another thing that helped is the fact that I've had bat boxes (a total of 8) here for 4 years now and the bats are used to the boxes......

[Erik]

Hi Terry,
I like this idea a lot, especially the education value.
Are there any pictures on the forum (or elsewhere) about how these viewing boxes and the lift-system was build?

Greetings,
Erik

[Terry Lobdell]

Erik, Here is the link to pictures I posted of it last year.......I have since removed the 2 back boxes and replaced them with the back to back single crevice boxes.......I will try to find sketches of Andy Troyer's winch and post that info too.........I basically had to design the boxes so they would work with the winch......but really many different bat house designs could be adapted to this winch system.......
hand-winch-for-raising-lowering-bat-box-t873.html

Here is another link showing some good views of the winch:

http://52-124.bluehost.com/forum/viewto ... caa11d5d9c

I will try to take some more detailed pictures and post them on here soon!

[JR0835]

Nice photos of bats inside the box. Not many people get to see this.
Jack

Batbox7.jpg (65.19 KiB) Viewed 159 times

[Terry Lobdell]

Thanks Jack.....the staff at this location took people out here and showed them these bats almost every day last summer! I hope to do at least one more maybe two more this summer at local state parks........