Come walk with me on my farm, just at dusk when you can still make out the outlines of the trees. Follow me out the house, down the zigzag stairs, down the hill, and across the little pond bridge. Now stand quietly, looking out over the garden area. Wait a bit. Ooooooo, what was that? Big shadow swooping by. A barn owl. Still wait with me. Be still. There. There. Those flitting shadows in the sky. Bats! There be bats here!
I once impressed a visitor by staring intently at the bats, squinting my eyes, muttering a low hhhhuuummm, aaaahhhh, then announcing that the bats were the endangered Hawaiian hoary bats. Visitor was dully impressed by my ability to identify the bats in the low light.
Haaaaa. Haaaaaa. I'm so bad. Yup, there is only ONE type of bat in Hawaii. Not a chance of me guessing wrong. Just the Hoary bat.
I have at least three bats that regularly work the air over the main garden area. Often I only see one at a time, but I know that there are sometimes three because I've seen all three at the same time, crisscrossing the sky. When the weather is wet, like this past year, I see the bats often. When we get a dry year, I seldom spot a bat. I suppose it depends upon the flying insect population. That's what they're hunting.
I've always liked bats. I've never understood the fear that some people have for them. I've often seen bats while growing up as a kid and always thought they were special. Hey, a flying mouse that can "see" at night. Now how cool is that! Back in NJ I had bats that worked the field behind my house. As a result my house area was practically mosquito-free. My neighbor across the street was envious. Her place had plenty of mosquitos. I didn't know why the bats preferred my side of the street, but I was thankful none the less.
Lived on Oahu all my life, 53yrs, I’ve never seen a bat. Nene goose, check. White starks,yes. Parrots flying over head n landing in Pacific Palisades and Nu’uanu, double yes. Blind Hawaiian snake, yes. Rock wallabies in Kalihi Valley, yes. White pueo, yes. Never a bat.
ReplyDeleteI think they are amazing!!! I love bats!!
There have been so many critters that have disappeared (green anaole, silver/black skink or salamander, etc).
It’s amazing that these bats are right in your garden!! How exciting! A full moon must be awe inspiring! Oh so wonderful to see them, darting in and out maneuvering around trees and shrubs. You are sooo lucky.
Mahalo for sharing. Sooo cool.
MÄlama Pono.
T
I think the bats are really cool too. I found out recently why I see only one bat or up to three bats. The three bats would be a mother plus her two offspring. The hoary bat often has twins. And since these bats are solitary hunters, if you see more than one, it's a mom and her youngsters.
DeleteWow
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