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---------- From: Hugh Broders <hugh.broders@smu.ca> Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2006 23:07:06 -0300 To: 'Jim Wolford' <jimwolford@eastlink.ca>, 'NatureNS' <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca> Cc: 'Fred Scott' <fwscott@eastlink.ca>, 'Tom Herman' <tom.herman@acadiau.ca> Subject: RE: single BAT roosting spots noticed at Kentville and Wolfville Hi Jim et al., This is a very interesting time of year for bats and I think that I can safely say we do not yet have a good handle on movement patterns. What we do know is that bats began arriving back at hibernacula more than 2 weeks ago and on some nights the activity there is extremely high. However, this activity is not related to the onset of hibernation but more likely the onset of courtship activities (and maybe the orientation of young of the year to hibernation sites). Day roosting happens outside the caves somewhere during this time, but we are not sure where. It also appears that there is a high turnover in the group composition at the sites. I can only speculate on where individuals go when they leave the hibernacula- it may be other cave sites. I hope that we can get a better handle on this over the next few years. With regards to your roosting observations, this is a time of year when we are more likely to see "odd" roosting behaviors. Maternity colonies will have broken up by now and individuals are more likely to be roosting solitarily, and we have all these inexperienced juveniles moving around and preparing for winter. During the summer months male little brown and northern long eareds are solitary day-roosters but I expect most instances of roost observations of the type that you have noted during the summer months would be male little browns (northern long-eareds are forest dwelling and so I wouldn’t expect them to be visiting the liquor store in wolfville). However, I would not be comfortable with making a prediction regarding species/gender/age at this time of year. I hope this is insightful. Hughie -----Original Message----- From: Jim Wolford [mailto:jimwolford@eastlink.ca] Sent: September 8, 2006 8:19 PM To: NatureNS Cc: Fred Scott; Tom Herman; Hugh Broders Subject: single BAT roosting spots noticed at Kentville and Wolfville Sept. 6-7, 2006 - At the Valley Regional Hospital, Pat and a nurse noticed two BATS (presumably Little Brown Bats) at separate single roosting sites; both sites were fairly well lit; first site was an entranceway with a low ceiling, at the junction of the roof and wall, among lots of cobwebs of house spiders (Theridiidae) loaded with egg-sacs and remains of eaten or decomposed prey items); and the other site was an open-air, well-lit garden and sitting spot surrounded by parts of the hospital, at the junction of two vertical brick walls, perhaps 5 metres above the ground; both of these bats were roosting in essentially the exact same spots over the two consecutive days noted. Sept. 8, 2006 - 2 PHOTOS of N.S. Liquor Commission store in Wolfville, and a BAT (probably Little Brown Bat) roosting in the entranceway; this is a well-lit area, shaded but with white walls and a low ceiling (about 5 metres up from ground), and the bat was hanging from the junction of a wall and the ceiling. This bat was first noticed by Doug Linzey earlier in the day. Does this sighting plus the two seen on Sept. 6-7/06 signify something happening right now regarding movements of bats? Or are these just routine summertime roosting spots for male or immature female Little Brown Bats that are not often noticed by people? Could there already be a movement under way toward the hibernacula (caves or mines)? Cheers from Jim in Wolfville, 542-9204 --------------------- Jim (James W.) Wolford 91 Wickwire Avenue Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 1W3 phone (902)542-9204 (home) fax (902)585-1059 (Acadia Univ. Biology Dept.) e-mail <jimwolford@eastlink.ca> ---------------------- ³...... the Earth .....belongs as much to those who come after us as to us; and we have no right, by anything that we do, or neglect to do, to involve them in unnecessary penalties, or to deprive them of benefits which are theirs by right.² - John Ruskin ----------------------
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