A Bat on a Tree

This past Thursday we saw a small bat clinging to a tree next to our office building. It was upside down, true to form, but hugging the side of the tree about three feet up from the ground rather than hanging from a branch. It was somewhat curled up, but was only about three inches long in that position. Some bats are quite small while others are very large, so I don't know if it was a baby bat or a full-grown one. At least we didn't have a large mother bat swoop down on us! I don't know if one would even do that. Do you get the idea that I don't know much about bats?

Apparently, it was sleeping, although it's possible it was sick. Everyone who went out to have a look had enough sense not to touch it, except for one young lady who poked it (gently) with a stick. She said it moved slightly and clicked at her, so it was alive. Dark brown and furry, it stayed motionless all day (except when being poked), but was gone today. I hope it was just sleeping and flew away at dusk, healthy and happy.

I was disappointed to not get a look at its little face--that might have given me some way of later looking at pictures to try to identify it. Still, it was one of those interesting, quirky things that sometimes happen. I was surprised that it would hang itself up in the open like that rather than higher up in the tree where it would be hidden among the branches and leaves and less noticeable to predators, like the cats that hang around our building. But then, who knows what bats think about.