I think we have a bat!

[Lily]

For the past two weeks around this time of night we've been hearing a strange "call" of what I at first thought was a bird. It wasn't until tonight that I asked my husband if he's been hearing it and I made the connection that birds generally don't tweet at night (derrr!), and we realised it must be a bat (flying fox?).

Does anyone else know of them in this area? I've lived here for quite a few years and never known of them being here before. I think it's only one (that's what it sounds like), but are we going to be inundated with them now? Do they move on? It sounds like it's coming from the same tree each night, I'm wondering if it's a seasonal thing or is it here to stay?

As you can see, I clearly don't know the first thing about bats lol! I don't know I particularly want one hanging around long term...

[Lily]

(I'll keep talking to myself )

OK, we definitely have bats! They were shaking the gum tree around in the backyard tonight, we got out some torches and found them. One glided silently over our heads while I was training the torch on the tree, then one in the tree flew out and flew immediately over our heads, did a circle around us and back in to the tree again. Scared the be-jeesus out of my little bloke with the flapping

Bit of a worry as the dogs are very interested in them and I'm worried they'll try and grab one, though they're unlikely to come down to ground level, one of the dogs jumps up trees and can get a few metres high

[AUSSKY]

I get the occasional bat here but they are migratory and usually only roost in the trees down the back for a few days and then disappear again for a few weeks...I actually had a small bat in the house over summer (which was as much a surprise to Tango as it was to me...he got shuffled off into his crate in the study and by the time I got back to the lounge room I couldn't find the bat......I'd left a sliding door open near to where I'd seen him last and turned the light off in that room so I have to assume he shot through - probably about 10" across - it was amazing watching him dipping and weaving around the room without touching a single piece of furniture!!!

[schitzengiggles]

I read this topic and thought it was going to be about the ludicrous decision by Ricky Ponting to bat first at Headingley. How sad I am now!

[Lily]

LMAO Apologies for disappointing you

Jane, not sure I'd want one inside my house

[droughtbreaker]

http://www.theaustralianweatherforum.co ... f=13&t=409

There has been an influx of them this year, similar to what Jane said we only had them for a few days when the swamp gums started flowering here. I'd never known of them in my area prior to this.

[Karl Lijnders]

We have heaps of them here... I get so freaked out by them because I am tall and they fly so close to my head!! I run like Ace Ventura!!

[Australis(Shell3155)]

We noticed something a while back making a fair amount of strange noise, it seemed to be a bat attacking a possum in the gum tree out the front. Now wondering if it was the bats that had broken all the tops of the flowering gum.?

[Blackee]

We have a bat living in our yard, been doing so in the last 4-6 weeks.
The sight of black on the ground and occasionally on my car is not good!

Have also noticed some Kookaburras residing across the road. Have noticed an increase in bird-life around our parks since Black Saturday.

[Bellarine]

Is that what that black stuff is that appeared on my car this week? Makes sense as even as I am typing I can see them coming over the house from the city....\

[Australis(Shell3155)]

is this stuff that your talking about little black spots.? that seem to be sprayed around.

[Lily]

I had no idea how common they were in the suburbs! Our little friend/s haven't visited us yet tonight, but still early yet.

[brayden]

We have heaps of them here... I get so freaked out by them because I am tall and they fly so close to my head!! I run like Ace Ventura!!

Bumblebee tuna!

[Rivergirl]

Lily twice I've had a bat in the house. Each time I have been able to catch them and put them outside. The last time the poor little guy wasn't too well so I made a little bed for him and put him in the wardrobe for the day then released him at night by putting him high up in a hanging planter pot. He was gone the next day. We do seem to have bats outside.

[Karl Lijnders]

Indeed B indeed!!!

Robyn you let them stay in your wardobe!! That is a non negotiable in this house! I won't allow it.

[brayden]

Lily you might bump into this fella lol



Just kindly ask him to take the bats away.

Actually how cool would it be for an exterminator (well not for bats) animal control worker to dress up for the job? batman for bats, a terminator with an X on the chest as the "ex" terminator, anyone else got more? its early morning here, still sleepy and wanting to watch the first two batman flicks now lol

[Lily]

LMAO!

Coffee, Brayden, coffee

[Rivergirl]

Well you know me and spiders Lily I was just trying to help the bat out, don't normally have bats in my wardrobe only in the belfry lol.

My young friend Farken, well 26, dresses up in a Batman costume sometimes, he looks terrific. Thanks, love the pic Brayden Great ideas for exterminators. They should drive a van with a loudspeaker on the top saying "Exterminate, exterminate" like the Daleks in Dr Who

[Rivergirl]

Btw not to do with bats but I once saw a gardening trailer like Jims Mowing but it said Chopper Weed. I thought that was pretty good lol

[Lily]

They're still here and they're starting to drive me a little nuts - noisy little buggers they are, wish they'd just shut the heck up! Do you think they'll move on once the tree they're in has blossomed (it's a gum, no idea what type, but will be getting ready to blossom for spring), or am I stuck with them? They've been here over a month now and it's starting to get a bit annoying with night after night of screeching right outside my bedroom window.