Recently, I coordinated a program at Sandy Creek Nature Center with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to host a Bat Night. Participants were able to see what bat biologists and technicians do in the field as well as learn about our local bats. The evening began with a quick walk down the North Oconee River Greenway and we discussed habitat features along the path. This stretch is wooded on both sides but one side is drier and up a slope while the other has a small creek running alongside the path.
Once we reached the setup spot and waited for night to set in, the biologist and technicians discussed their work, the set up of the mist net, their anabat tool to listen for bat frequencies and other information about issues bats face in Georgia. About 45 minutes after sunset, the nets were dropped and within five minutes, a bat had been caught! The technicians retrieved the bat and brought it back to the set up site where they had their table set up to record information about the bat. We all donned masks because there is a risk of COVID transmissions from humans to bats. They took measurements of the bat wings, looked at the bone structure to determine approximate age (adult or juvenile), weight, noted general health and identified the species. This particular bat apparently had a strong musky scent which made them think it was an Evening bat but it turned out it was a stinky Big Brown Bat Eptesicus fuscus. The bat was marked on the head in case of recapture and then released in the opposite direction of the net. In the end, two Big Brown bats were caught, studied and released.
This is one of our adult programs that allow participants to have contact with field scientists, learn about their research and also experience something that SCNC staff can’t offer without these connections. We offered a firefly program back in the summer. Anytime we have offered this type of program, it is very popular. Participants are very enthusiastic and have a lot of interaction with the scientists that they don’t typically have in a classroom lecture setting. While we were getting the second bat out of the net, participants were offering ideas for future programs that we could offer! I would like to continue to build on this type of program and offer a different type of program each quarter. We’re often thought of as a place to bring children but I hope that offering these types of programs will broaden our audience and provide wider community support.
NAI - The Sunny Southeast Region 