The day started when Rob noticed the bats while we were eating breakfast... Libby and I thought it was strange that they were out in the daytime. Upon closer examination there were 3 bats and sadly only 1 was still alive. She was caught in the outside frame of the window. Her trapped wing was totally damaged.
Obviously as a bat lover, I went into hysterics. I couldn't stop crying. Sam went to check things out; he was discouraged when he couldn't pry the wood loose. Libby and Slav went into action calling animal control. There were 3 phone calls back to Libby about the bat. We were all pretty amazed that people cared to call us back.
DO NOT TOUCH IT was the advice; some one is on the way. 1/2 an hour later I am still sobbing thinking how awful it must be for her to be stuck and scared, not only that but to be stuck with her dead friends :( Jake made fun of me for giving human traits to the bat. Then he saw that my crying wasn't stopping so he and Sam went into action.
Sam was bundled up in all his log sleeve items and a scarf. He had found the fireplace gloves and made a "net" to catch her out of a water jug. To quote Sam: "I always wear this whilst rescuing bats!"
I am still not clear on how he and Jake pried the wood apart, but Sam said he lifted her out carefully.
Jake took the bat in the jug covered with a towel outside, I ran up to see her and she was gone, Jake put her in the woods behind the house, not far, but out of the jug. So we had to get her back in since we got another call from a woman who said she would come get her. Lucky for the little bat and us Patricia Winters had just called.
Jake tried to push her in with a stick Thinking that may injure her I ran to get a thin fly swatter to put under her so she would go inside the box-- she wasn't having it. Eventually she did crawl onto my glove. And I really just was so smitten I wanted to keep her or kiss her, but everyone yelled in unison for me to put her in the box.
We waited for a while but when no one came-- we were worried. Then there was another phone call: could we bring the bat to her? Luckily Patricia lived a short drive from our house. We walked up the driveway to see her car, the license plate read "bat mam" I was so excited!!
She invited us ALL in she was worried that such a large group wouldn't fit in her "bat room", Luke remarking that shouldn't it be called a bat cave?
Once inside the room we saw lots of instruments and magnifying tools she used on the bats, oh and lots of mini boxes. She called them bat boxes for them to live in.
She examined "Sam" we named her that in the car, since Sam was the bravest in the rescue>> in all fairness we did throw around a combo of Jake and Sam>> but "smake" didn't sound so nice. Her official name is "Samantha Libby Slav Schipano Wallace".
She showed use her little teeth; she was missing her lower canine. And she was sad to see that she was missing all her fingers but she still had her thumb, which meant her wing wouldn't ever work again :( she told us all that Sam would become a "classroom bat" that she would have a new life teaching kids about bats. From hanging on close to death to a new life filled with happiness. For all parties involved.
After she settled Sam in her bat box she showed us a few of the many species of bats that had been brought to her to rehabilitate. It was an amazing experience and I am thinking of a new career as a "bat mam' :)
* thank you Micaela for the wonderful pictures & Aggie for hugging me *
Sam in her box post rescue.
The Bat mobile :D
I was such a cry baby that day. Look how tiny Sam is!
Patricia told us all about Sam. This is her good wing.
One of Sam's new Bat friends.
To learn more about the AMAZING Patricia Winters check out some of the links below:
http://creec.edgateway.net/cs/creecp/view/creec_org/352
http://www.sfweekly.com/2000-11-08/news/save-the-bats/
http://media.www.laneytower.com/media/storage/paper1008/news/2009/09/17/Features/Bat-Maam.Returns-3776290.shtml
http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=2539
