Oh, bats!

I had heard a rumor that bats dwell in the Campbell Ave. bridge that spans over the Rillito River. The rumor is true.

Saturday at dusk, I went on a bat hunting journey and found out I wasn't the only one intrigued. About 50 or so people showed up to witness the Mexican Free-tailed bats emerge in the thousands from their home in the narrow spaces of the concrete bridge. Even with all those cars driving over it, they still find it a great place to live (well, I'm assuming so, even though they didn't tell me personally.)

When I first arrived, one other family was there. We all wondered where the bats were....until, I walked under the bridge and heard the squeaks coming from up above. Yup, there they are! And on the ground....guano...so small you could hardly see it.

So, an hour went by, no bats. But more and more people started to show. And then, finally, right as the sun went down, one little bat emerges from the bridge. A scout maybe? We waited a little longer, wondering if they would actually make their appearance when, all of the sudden, they start to come from every direction. Thousands of bats eating all the mosquitoes that were biting us while we waited.

Unfortunately, it was too dark for my camera to take pictures, but I found this video on Youtube that was taken at the same location in 2007. It was incredible, but don't take my word for it, go see them yourself! Just make sure you go soon because they migrate back to Mexico in October.



And get this...one bat ways about as much as a penny. No wonder they can fly to fast!