Austin goes extra batty in August, when the colony of Mexican free-tailed bats under the Congress Avenue Bridge swells with newly flying pups. As the pups join their mothers on nightly bug-eating flights, bat watching gets even better than usual.

About a week and a half ago I stood on the Congress Avenue Bridge, soon joined by dozens of people waiting to see the bats. Behind us, the sun dropped into Lady Bird Lake. Leaning on the rail and facing east — the bats fly out away from the sun — we watched kayakers positioning themselves near the bridge.

Might as well relax while you’re waiting.

A Lone Star riverboat jockeyed for position along with other bat-watching cruise boats.

And then, finally, the show began. With a papery rustle of wings, bats poured out from under the bridge, dipping and soaring over the trees.

Soon a dark ribbon of bats undulated toward sunset-glowing buildings far across the lake.

Here’s a slow-motion video of the spectacle. Those dark clouds low in the sky? Yep, that’s 1.5 million bats heading out to eat tons of insects. Go, bats!

Bat watching should be excellent through September and October, until they migrate to Mexico for the winter. So go watch Austin’s favorite flying mammal and be wowed.

Thomas Rainer to speak in Austin; seats still available

There are 3 seats left for Thomas Rainer’s presentation “Planting in a Post-Wild World” on September 19th at 8 pm in northwest Austin. It’s crazy that this talk has not sold out already. Rainer is a thought leader in his field and a sought-after speaker. In his interview in the NY Times, he says:

“So many garden books focus on what to plant, but so few focus on how to arrange plants to fit together in ecological combinations. When we fit our plants together like a tight jigsaw puzzle, the maintenance goes way, way down.”

More plants. Less mulch. Less maintenance. Greener cities. If you have any interest in green design, urban ecology, or less maintenance in your garden, don’t miss this talk! Email me for the event page link.

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Digging Deeper

Come learn about gardening and design at Garden Spark! I organize in-person talks by inspiring designers, landscape architects, authors, and gardeners a few times a year in Austin. These are limited-attendance events that sell out quickly, so join the Garden Spark email list to be notified in advance; simply click this link and ask to be added. Season 8 kicks off in fall 2024. Stay tuned for more info!

All material © 2024 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.