The Ranch, Lakewood, NM - Bats

Thursday, June 21, 2012 The Ranch, Lakewood, New Mexico 68 degrees and partly sunny to 98 degrees and partly sunny. Pillow type clouds in our sky today.
        
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Looking east

Richard, Wally and I finished installing ceiling panels today in the laundry shed, and the electrician arrived and installed the light fixtures and did some other work.

Tag-a-long to see the bats leave the Carlsbad Caverns at dusk. A group of us car pooled to the caverns arriving just about seven o’clock for the ranger program prior to the bats leaving the cave thru the natural opening. Then everyone remained quiet while the bats actually left the cave.

NPS Photo by Nick Hristov.

 Each evening in summer, Brazilian (aka Mexican) free-tail bats exit Carlsbad Cavern in search of a smorgasbord of insects .Prior to the evening bat flight, a program is given at the cavern entrance by a park ranger. The starting time of the talk varies with sunset-it is best to check at the visitor center for the exact time. Bat flight programs are scheduled from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. In late October or early November, the bats migrate to Mexico for the winter; they return in April or May.

The Ranch group
(just three rows up)

Cave opening

Ranger