This is Bat Country [65 photos]

[KevinFromTexas]

For Randy Sandford and Stephan Vandendriescche (Grumpy), two great guys and longtime forumers who unexpectedly passed away this week. RIP.

So I had to get out and ride and take pics. With the good weather, clear skies, and low humidity, I couldn't resist. These were taken over a few days earlier this week.










This is bat country.

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge is home to the world's largest urban bat colony. The bats reside beneath the road deck in gaps between the concrete component structures. They are migratory, spending their summers in Austin and the winters in Mexico. According to Bat Conservation International[1], between 750,000 and 1.5 million bats reside underneath the bridge each summer, whereas Austin's population is about 700,000, so, there are more bats than inhabitants in Austin during the summer.

The nightly emergence of the bats from underneath the bridge at dusk, and their flight across Lady Bird Lake primarily to the east, to feed themselves, attracts as many as 100,000 tourists annually.[1] Tourists can see the bats from the bridge, from the sides of the river and even from special boats.

A study made in 1999 by Dr Gail R. Ryser and Roxana Popovici concludes that the economic impact of the bats to Austin city is $7.9 million each year. Today, businesses are using the bats as a symbol for Austin.

A project, called "Bats and Bridges", has been put in place by the Texas Department of Transportation, in cooperation with BCI, to study the best way to make bridges habitable for bats.

I shot this last June.
• Video Link



Lots of bats.
































































My "new" bike.
















































lol Kind of precarious, no?


Downtown from ~7 miles away. By the way, that is not smog. It's smoke from agricultural burns in Mexico.




~ Thanks for looking.

[nixcity]

A great eye meets a great camera, beautiful!

[LoneStarMike]

Great photos.

The ones from S. Congress really capture Austin with the airstream trailers, the Austin Motel and The Continental Club.

A couple of people from my complex won free haircuts at Bird's Barber Shop at a block party we had here last Friday. I'd never heard of it and didn't know where it was until now.

Loved the one of the bike at night.

Although it's not really high-tech, I like the different colored lights on the side of the Radisson. I wish they could do something similar with that big blank wall at the Plaza Lofts.

[AustinSkyscrapers]

Nice shots Kevin. I like looking at Austin a lot. There boasts a great skyline.

Did the Austonian become taller than the Frost Tower yet? Or is it behind by a floor?

[KevinFromTexas]

Thanks guys.

Mike, that Birds Barbershope has only been there a little while, maybe only a little over a month? Before the Birds Barbershop was there, it was an Oriental herbal remedy store called White Crane. It moved out earlier this year. The place didn't sit vacant for very long. By the way, if you Google Birds Barbershop, they don't yet list the South Congress location in my photo. I looked up the old White Crane info though, and the building is located at 1902 South Congress. It's at the northwest corner of Congress & W. Mary.

AustinSkyscrapers, once The Austonian reaches the 47th floor, it'll officially be taller than Frost. And once it reaches the 51st floor it'll be taller than the spire on 360. It's already passed 360's roof height though.