Not Cats...Bats

Friend BG and I visited Stage Nature Center in Troy, Michigan this weekend, to visit with some bats! The lecture, called "Bats of the World", was presented by members of Organization for Bat Conservation.

Big Brown Bat (native to Michigan)

Female Fruit Bat

Another type of fruit bat, male

Then we walked around the 100-acre area, and I snapped a few photos:

Shelf fungus on tree stump

Interesting tree and plant life

Someone spied this screech owl just hanging out, waiting for us to take his picture!

Screech owl in a wood-duck box!

Bats are our friends; they pollinate and spread seeds.  They need flowers, water, and places to sleep and raise their young. Unfortunately, cats can be predators of baby bats testing their wings, or if they find a nest up in a tree.  We have bats flying around our yard, but Patty O'Malley and Sweetie do not seem to be in the mood to chase them down, not with bowls of kibble and food at their noses!