[texbirds] Swainson's Hawks catching bats near downtown Houston
- From: Alisa Kline <abkline@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 17 Aug 2014 14:01:21 -0500
I don't usually post to this list. I am very much a casual birder who is
grateful for all the talented and experienced people who post. But I think this
is something worth sharing. Near downtown Houston is a bat colony that lives
under the Waugh Drive bridge over Buffalo Bayou. Every night at sunset
thousands of bats stream out towards the east. Two Swainson's Hawks have been
feeding on the bats all summer. I finally got a chance to watch with some
binoculars and was awed by what I saw. The Swainson's swoop into the bat swarms
and catch a bat in their feet. They then eat that bat on the wing and swoop
back in for another. It isn't the hawks themselves that is worth the post, but
the opportunity for anyone who wishes to get a guaranteed look at hawks
catching and eating prey (I had no idea they ate on the wing). If anyone wants
info on the better viewing angles (not necessarily where the people gather to
watch the bats) please let me know and I will provide it.
Alisa Kline
Near downtown HoustonEdit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
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