Vine Street Bat Survey -- Photo by Bill Haas |
REGISTRATION CLOSED FOR BOTH TRIPS
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents
FIELD TRIP: Bats of El Chorro Regional Park - Dairy Creek Golf Course
TRIP 1: DATE: Tuesday, September 20th, 2022
TIME: 7:00pm to 9:30pm
LEADER: Bill Haas, Director, Central Coast Bat Survey
FIELD TRIP: Bats of Santa Rita Ranch
TRIP 2: DATE: Thursday, September 22nd, 2022
TIME: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
LEADER: Bill Haas, Director, Central Coast Bat Survey
If you are a coastal resident, please register for Trip 1.
If you are an inland county resident, please register for Trip 2.
Trip is limited to 12 participants - Signups will be taken for 24 hours. Participants will be randomly selected. The remainder will be put on standby status in case of cancellations.
DESCRIPTION:
Bill Haas, an expert on bats, will lead two very special after sunset walks to detect and identify bats that inhabit our coastal California environment. These are follow-up field events offered to participants of the MCAS presentation of "Bats of California's Central Coast". The group will walk the trails and listen for bats using ultrasonic detectors and associated technologies and identify (acoustically and visually) some of the Central Coast bat species that occur in September. All our local bat species are insect eaters and provide beneficial pest control for agriculture and our local gardens, not to mention their role in reducing biting insect populations in our neighborhoods. Bill will put a positive light on these often wrongfully maligned mammals and discuss several techniques used to study and track these amazing animals. Terrain will be generally flat or gently sloped. Each walk will entail approximately 2 miles of walking; no more than 1 mile out and 1 mile back for each bat walk.
Special requirements: If you are selected for this trip, Bill asks that you attend MCAS Community Program for Monday, September 19th, 2022, 7 PM, for his zoom presentation on Bats of San Luis Obispo County.
Suggestions for participants: Please wear hiking shoes, (must be closed toes), check local weather forecast prior to the event and dress appropriately (in layers is recommended as evenings can be cool for humans although not necessarily so for bats). Headlamps are recommended to better ensure hands-free safe hiking and navigation in the dark, hand-held flashlights are not recommended, and cell phone lights are not allowed (cell phones will be turned off during each walk).
Binoculars may be helpful (e.g., if bats are active around the golf course lights) but not necessary or required. Restrooms are available. Rain Cancels.
RSVP and Proof of Full COVID Vaccination Required!
Registration will open on the morning of SEPT 5th. The LINK to the Field Trip’s Registration Form will ONLY be sent out on above date via MCAS ALERT and SLOCOBIRDING. If you are not already a member of these email lists, you can join MCAS ALERT via JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST in the Footer of the MCAS websiteand/or SLOCOBIRDING via Groups.io.
Questions? Email Robbie Revel Robbie@morrocoastaudubon.org