Alabaster Bat Count 2018

Final Bat Count Totals
Myotis = 5,939
Tri-Colored = 148
Big Browns = 4
Total = 6,091
   

Saturday - January 27, 2018 - Time once again for the bat count at Alabaster Caverns State Park. Park Director, Mike Caywood, assembled people to assist him in the count. This year his grandson came along for his first bat count. Just last month a movie company rented the cave and shot some footage for a show coming up hopefully this year. But we suspect that all of the commotion disturbed the bats. Our count was way down this year.

Click on any photo to see an enlarged version.

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Waiting for everyone to show up... We must be nuts... at least what this squirrel thinks.... He used to be Mike's while he went though rehab. Now he thinks he owns the place.
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On our way down to the entrance.... Ready for Bat Count 2018 Eight counters.... and one photo guy
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Mike keeps detailed talley's along with temps / humidity throughout the count.
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Usually we don't see any at this turn in the trail... but we suspect the movie people may have made the bats shift away from normal spots...
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I can't recall seeing any mats here in the past.... And they were pretty large
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Most bat pictures from here on to the end will be a sideways shot showing arms....
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And a nose on picture to see if there is any fungus for the experts to look at.
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Last updated: 1/28/18