Spain Tour 5: Bats!

The campsite had a stream that ran along beside it (actually, I think it was the same Rio Deva that accompanied us through the Gorge). At one point, beside the stream, there was a small bar/restaurant. It was usually quite busy.

As soon as it was fully dark they would switch on a strong bug-attracting light just outside the big windows of the bar, hanging slightly out over the stream. Moths and various other bugs would float around and congregate.

And they in turn attracted the bats.

Zooming back and forth along the river, snapping up the flying insects as they passed the cafe. Whirling around and returning for more.

They were fast, small and light, and despite the strong illumination from the bug-light, quite elusive to spot. And even harder to photograph. I must have tried forty or fifty times.

Here is what the scene looked like:

And again:
No, hang on. Look at the last picture again - the blur in the bottom right corner. It resolves to this:
Definitely batlike. So now we know what we are looking for.

This was the only other shot which was half-way successful at capturing one of the little furry flying things:
Did you spot it?
I am sure we spent somewhat longer in the bar, and went there more often, because of the bats. Not that I knowingly refused vino tinto at any time.

We christened the bug attracting light the Bat Signal (sigh).