Bat House Forum

[Gary Springer]

After watching the white bat come and go on about 12 occasions I started thinking what a shame it would be not to have at least tried to get a photo or video of this rare animal.

I borrowed a video camera from a friend and decided against waiting for the bats this morning, first, because it was foggy and wet, and second, because I had never seen the white bat in the morning. Perhaps it goes to roost earlier than the others.

So, instead of waiting for the bats to swarm before dawn this morning with video camera in hand, I watched the bats swarm morning from my window. And, as luck would have it, I watched helplessly as the white bat flew about the bathouse for several minutes.

This evening, only moments ago, I waited for the evenng emergence atop a step ladder, video camera ready. I began my wait about half an hour early, and, I'm glad I did because they emerged about 15 minutes earlier than normal.

The white bat emerged and I recorded it on the video. I had never used a video recording device of any kind. As a result, the experience has been fraught with frustration, especially when I watched the video fo the white bat for the first time. The white bat came out and my inability to follow it using the view finder caused me to pan in the wrong direction. The bat started left, then went straight away for 80 yards. So, other than the emergence which gives a great view, you can only see glimpses of the bat as it proceded to leave the area.

Not only is this the earliest the bats ever emerged before, but also, for the very first time, all the bats were in the two chamber standard style bat house. None came from the two chamber bat house which they normally prefer.

As I wrote, I have no experience with video so I don't know how to get it up on YouTube where you can see it. However, I can't wait to get it up!! And, when I I do, I'll post again to let you know.

If you really love your bats as I do, when you see the video, you'll understand why it takes my breath away every time I see it.

It's a most glorious sight!!!!!!! It looks to be much larger than the other bats because the white contrasts with the darker colors in the background. And, on video, it looks even larger!!

Gary Springer
Northeast Georgia Foothills,
about 70 miles south of the Tennessee border

[Terry Lobdell]

Can't wait to see it!

[Dave Miller]

Do you have any tech-savvy teen-aged friends or relatives? They would know how to get it on youtube.