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Now wouldn’t you rather have
bats out in open heading for insects than in a room with you!
Yes, you would.
I’ll throw my personal experience in here. Incredibly my son and I were draped around a statue across from Alamo trying to get a good view of some president who was arriving, when a bat torpedoed into statue and fell, stunned, at our feet. While mothers and kids screamed, former in fear, and latter in delight, poor bat just flailed around. You could’ve picked it up with gloves, but we just walked away. It was unable to fly, and uninterested in humans.
But let me stress again, there’s no heroism involved; bats coming from bridge are far away and they’re on a mission. You might suggest to thrill older children, if you’re that type, that they are going to turn your way, but they have a plan and I guess they’re herd animals. What would you do anyway? Whistle?
One way you can view them is from a cruise on Capital Cruise Boats (http://www.capitalcruises.com/html/bat.htm ) or Lone Star River Boats.
Another way is sitting on outside bat-viewing decks of TGI Friday’s in Radisson Hotel on Town Lake, and Shoreline Bar & Grill restaurant in Hyatt-Regency Austin hotel. If I bring adults, we usually enjoy a gourmet meal at latter. If I bring kids or teens, TGI Fridays is place.
When do they leave? Depends on time of year, weather conditions, colony size and bat mood. But of course there’s a Bat Hot Line to tell you -- 512-416-5700 (Category 3636). BCI suggests mid-August as best time, as new pups are making their first sojourns out to hunt with their moms. Best viewing months in general are July and August.
You can also bring blankets and picnic baskets and watch from Austin American-Statesman’s Bat Observation Center, located at southeast corner of bridge. It offers educational kiosks and BCI “interpreters” on summer weekends, Thursday through Sunday, June through August.
There are several lots where you can park FREE, no refreshment stands, no public restrooms. Are you getting picture? That you can have a fun and educational outing that doesn’t cost A CENT? Part of fun of excursion is “old timey” feeling.
Spending my summers in Texas each year in a town about 60 miles northeast of Austin, our major entertainment in evening was to drag a quilt outside on front lawn and lie down and look at stars (“The stars at night, are big and bright, clap clap clap clap…). Well, same deal here – quilt, picnic basket, nature’s own show, and no money changing hands. Very novel these days and kids won’t fail to miss that something’s very different. This is no Disney World.
Incidentally, to Chinese, bats are symbols of good luck and happiness. They symbolize health, long life, prosperity, love of virtue, and natural death.
Check out here ( http://www.batcon.org/discover xguide.html ) for other bat observing locations nearby and ya’ll come, y’hear? You won’t see something like this very often.
©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc . I offer coaching, distance learning and ebooks around Emotional Intelligence for your personal and professional development. Transitions a specialty. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE ezine. For daily EQ tips, send blank email to EQ4U-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . I TRAIN AND CERTIFY EQ COACHES. GET IN THIS FIELD, DUBBED 'WHITE HOT' BY THE PRESS, NOW. No residency requirement.
