I got in a late afternoon swim and managed to beat the sun before it dipped down below the high rises. Pete and Danny were already out there as well as Kati, Jim, and David.
The lake temperature came in at 62F within the horizontal “swim zone.” But there was definitely a colder thermocline layer lurking past the three foot level. Still, we had a cloudless sky with abundant sunshine and a 72F air temperature that quickly took the edge off of any chill in the water.
It was hard to get going yesterday morning. These early autumn days seem more like mid-November than late September. But I was up by 7am, hammering away at the keyboard with the aid of some very strong black coffee, when I heard this god-awful screeching outside of my window.
I tried to ignore it at first, but it just intensified. Then I realized that this was some animal in serious distress. An utterly terrified, life-or-death type of distress. So I went to the window to investigate.
Three crows had surrounded a shrieking animal in the empty lot adjacent to my building and were taking their turns pecking and tearing away at it. I couldn’t tell exactly what it was, but it sure was “down for the count.”
Three against one? That’s hardly fair. So I decided to go out there and see what all the fuss was about…
I approached the crime scene and shooed away the trio of surprisingly large and menacing crows. They scattered away as I advanced, but they hovered closely in the nearby trees, cackling indignantly and fixing me with their baleful stares.
I wasn’t quite prepared for what I saw:
Hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) are the most widespread bat species in the Americas. Their habitat includes most of North America from north-central Canada and extends south all the way to Central America.
Hoary bats are solitary forest dwellers that prefer evergreen trees to deciduous environments. They are nocturnal hunters who feed on insects during the evening and spend their days roosting in a torpor high above the ground. This explains why hoary bats – although quite abundant and widespread – rarely come into contact with humans.
So how did this one end up as midday crow fodder?
There are several possibilities. First, many hoary bats migrate long distances in the fall, spending the winter in the warmer regions of sub-tropical or tropical America. Apparently, it’s not that unusual for these bats to become quite exhausted from flying and fall out of their roosts onto the ground. And even if they manage to stay in the trees during the day, they are quite easily exposed to predation. This is especially the case with juveniles or young adults. And give the smaller size of this hoary bat (3-4 inches), I suspect he is still technically a “minor.”
So it’s quite likely that our little hero was unfortunately literally caught napping by some very hungry crows who frequent that empty lot.
The second possibility, while very remote, is a bit less innocent. In general, bats are not dangerous. But like any other mammal, they can carry rabies. And even though less than 1% of all bats are infected with the virus, hoary bats tend to have a higher incidence of the disease given that they sometimes prey on other bats.
So whatever happened to the bat, you might ask?
Well, I couldn’t just let him get torn apart by the crows. So I placed him in a box using some heavy winter gloves. He had calmed down considerably at that point, but I could tell that he was still in pretty bad shape. His left wing was somewhat misshapen, and from the look of things he had taken a number of very unkind jabs to the midsection from the three crows.
The little fellow slept very soundly for all of yesterday afternoon and was still in a tranquil slumber when I returned home in the early evening. He had even climbed up onto a bamboo lid I had placed in his temporary home and was roosting upside down on one leg.
Unfortunately, he didn’t make it though the night. He passed quietly in his sleep and – from the look of things – quite peacefully.
I contacted animal control this morning, and they came to take him away. The animal control officer had never seen a hoary bat, so I explained to her what it was. We both commented on how rare and unique it was to see such an animal.
But apparently they’re quite common. And as you walk underneath the trees this time of year, they’re probably right above you.
Despite the passing of summer, we still had a few really great mornings and afternoons to get in a swim. And with the water temperatures hovering in the 605F – 68F range, L1 could still pass for late August on a bright day! Below are a few shots from last week:
A small pack of intrepid swimmers came out at 7:00am and braved the 52F air temperature and 5-6 foot swells. Present this morning were Beth, Michelle, Nick, Mike, and yours truly. Also making an appearance was Ethan, a portrait photographer who brought out some pretty nifty equipment.
Given a sustained southeast wind and partly cloudy skies, most of us opted to wear wetsuits – despite the surprisingly comfy 65F lake temperature. The high volume waves were manageable once we got away from the wall. The beach landing, though, was a bit of a challenge.
Nick and I hit Oak Street Beach at the same time and spent some time body surfing on the crashing surf. I rode in on one particularly large wave that stripped off my goggles and claimed my Alcatraz Challenge swim cap. So if anyone finds it, you know where to send it!
The first day of autumn was the type of day we wish we would have had all summer long! With an 88F air temperature, abundant sunshine, calm waters, and a balmy Lake Michigan coming in at 68F, today easily could have passed for late July!
Karolin returned with her sister Melanie and her brother Andreas, and everyone got in a fantastic dip in “the pool” to celebrate fall. Dave brought out the inner tubes which were a great hit as always. Karolin, Melanie, and Andreas are only in town until Sunday when they’re leaving to return to Germany. Glad everyone could come out!
Lounging in the inner tubes
Left to right: Karolin, Andreas, and Melanie – Lake Monsters 88, 89, and 90 respectively (congrats!)
Summer officially ended at 10:09pm last night, and we were honored at L1 with a Super Harvest Moon – one of the rarest of celestial events.
For the first time in 20 years, a full moon coincided directly with the autumnal equinox, the end of astronomical summer and the beginning of autumn. And to make things even more unique, the planet Jupiter appeared right below the Moon in the clear night sky!
I won’t go on about how you should have been there. But suffice to say, it was one of the coolest and most memorable swim outings that I can ever recall. The water came in at 66F with the air temperature a fantastic 67F. Dave, Niki, and I got in a quick swim just as summer officially transitioned into autumn. Also on hand to watch the show was Karolin, who hails all the way from Germany!
Oh, and one other thing…you REALLY should have been there…
I managed to get in a quick dip yesterday and was joined by Dax, a newly-minted Lake Monster who’s in from out of town. The lake temperature at 5:00pm came in at 63F – actually warmer than the air temperature!
We fought off occasional 5-6 foot swells brought on by a 10 mph southeast wind and managed to get in a pretty hefty workout without spending a lot of time in the water. So for those of you looking to reduce all the time you spend at the gym on the treadmill, I would highly recommend the OWC “cold chops” approach to fitness…
