4Real Forums: Bat Roost???

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: Bat Roost???

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MichelleM
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Posted: March 06 2006 at 1:50pm \| IP Logged

On our nature walk yesterday we saw what looked like huge wasp like hives under a ledge of an overpass. They were probably about 1 1/2 feet in diameter and had 3" round openings in them leading me to believe that they possibly were bat roosts. There were probably 20 of them!

Does anyone know if bats make mud like nests like this?

If not, any other guesses?

I did a Goggle search and was unable to find any pictures to confirm my suspicion.

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MaryM
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Posted: March 06 2006 at 3:00pm \| IP Logged

I have never heard of any bats that build mud roosts. My first thought was swallows since they build mud nests - most commonly we see barn swallow nests which are cup shaped but I know that cliff swallows have more of an enclosed nest with an opening about the size you describe. Found these pictures. Was it anything like this? Cliff swallows are known to build under bridges and such when there are not cliffs available. We'll have to come have a look when I get back to Denver.

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Mary M. in Denver

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MichelleM
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Posted: March 06 2006 at 3:26pm \| IP Logged

Mary that's it!

Cliff Swallow nests!

Thank you!!!

The nests are located on the Cottonwood Trail near Jordan Rd. & E-470.

We are now planning on returning every week to see if the swallows return.

We look forward to your return! BTW-Your missing all the beautiful weather! It's in the sixties!

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MaryM
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Posted: March 08 2006 at 2:13am \| IP Logged

MichelleM wrote:

Cliff Swallow nests!

We are now planning on returning every week to see if the swallows return.

I wonder if they will be as regular as the San Juan Capistrano cliff swallows - March 19th every year. Many consider swallows the harbingers of spring for this regularity. If you haven't already read the Leo Politi book, Song of the Swallows (also discused other places on this forum) this would be a perfect time to do so. I love this book - it so sweet and would be fun to anticipate the return (hopefully) of your Jordon Road swallows.

This might be a fun activity for others - try to find some swallows nests and keep tabs on them to see if the swallows do return and if it coincides with the first days of spring.

I found this list which refers to many of the places in ancient writings where swallows are referred to as harbingers of spring:

*Hesiod, Works and Days 568-569: "The loudly-wailing daughter of Pandion, the swallow, appears to men when spring is just beginning".
*Horace, Epistles 1.7.12-13: "He [the poet, Horace] will visit you [Maecenas] again, dear friend, if you permit, with the west winds and the first swallow" (te, dulcis amice, reuiset / cum Zephyris, si concedes, et hirundine prima).
*Ovid, Fasti 2.853-854: "Are we mistaken, or has the swallow, harbinger of spring, arrived, and did she not fear that winter would turn and come back?" (fallimur, an veris praenuntia venit hirundo, / nec metuit ne qua versa recurrat hiems?)
*Pentadius 2.17-18, in a poem on the coming of spring: "Now the twittering swallow at daybreak is smearing the familiar roof-beams [with mud]: while she rebuilds her nest, she smears the familiar roof-beams" (nota tigilla linit iam garrula luce chelidon: / dum recolit nidos, nota tigilla linit).
*Avienus, Periegesis 700-701: "When in early spring the hard ground softens itself and the winged swallow in the hollow roofs sings [its] sweet [song]" (cum vere novo tellus se dura relaxat, culminibusque cavis blandum strepit ales hirundo).

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MichelleM
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Posted: March 08 2006 at 8:06am \| IP Logged

Mary,

We read Song of the Swallows yesterday (outside while enjoying our daffodils). It It is excellent! We just happened upon it at the library after finding out that our nests belonged to Cliff Swallows. What an appropriate book for Lent as well!

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Kelly
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Posted: March 08 2006 at 9:22pm \| IP Logged

Isn't that a lovely little book (that I also found courtesy of the thread). I got all teary-eyed reading it. Just wish I had known about it BEFORE we visited the mission at San Juan Capistrano... Thanks, Mary G for reminding me to go pull it out for the upcoming Feast of St. Joseph!

Kelly in FL

Kelly
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Posted: March 08 2006 at 9:22pm \| IP Logged

Oops, I meant Mary M.

Kelly in FL

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