Honestly, what is with my life? Am I giving off weird, strangeness vibes to the universe?
The other night about 10:00 pm, my husband and I were watching a movie when something flew up from the basement and down the hallway.
Yes, I said flew.
We looked at each other, both said what the hell was that, and got up to investigate. And found a Little Brown Bat flying around and around and around In the spare bedroom. We closed the door to keep it contained while we thought about how to get him out. (At least in the trailer I only have to deal with tiny little moths…)
We scoured the house for some kind of net, but could come up with nothing. And I have a perfectly good net in the trailer at the campsight. Irony.
I snuck into the bedroom with camera in hand, quickly dropped to my knees and thought I had closed the door. The cat proved me wrong however, and I spent some time scooping up the cat who was jumping at the bat who was circling over my head.
This was way better than the movie, so we spent some time sitting on the floor in the bedroom (sans cat), watching him fly in circles and pondering what to do. Even for a Little Brown Bat he was tiny, so I suspect he was just a youngster. He would rest occasionally on top of the books in the tall bookcase where I couldn’t reach him, then resume his flight. He seemed partial to the fluorescent light fixture as well, hanging from it or resting between the light tubes.
I had no objection to picking him up in a towel if I could catch him, but bats look so delicate I was afraid I might break a wing or a leg. Finally my husband had the bright idea of removing the screen from the window. We turned off the light, closed the door, and left the little guy to find his own way out. When we checked back a bit later, he was gone.
We’ve been living in this house since 1980. We have never had a bat visitor before, but they’ve already featured on this blog when we had bat visitors at our campsight in June. (Marsh Diaries Pt 7).
This is obviously the year of the bat – I haven’t seen one in years, now I’ve had 3 visitors in a few months. I’m choosing to take these sightings as a sign of increased bat populations, which makes me feel good even if it isn’t true.
Our house bat must have navigated his way in from the cat run, through the tunnel that leads to a small window under the deck, through the basement and up the stairs.It’s a darned good thing I like bats – apparently they like me too.
Now that would have been a real quick way to wake up. Thanks for taking time from your studies to read my blog and post a comment!
Yes, thanks for not freaking out and killing it, which some people do.
I remember years ago when I soent a few days at my grandmothers home because I was doing some roof work for her. I slept in the upstairs bedroom while I was there. One morning, I woke up and nearly wet myself when I saw a bat standing on my stomach. When I realized what it was, I gently blew at it and it flew back out the open window. Suffice to say, I used a screen thereafter.
John
With Little Brown Bats dying by the millions (white nose syndrome), every Little Brown is precious! Thanks for saving one!