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A seasonal event, this is one of the things that make Austin special. The bridge (or, rather, the openings under the bridge) on Congress Avenue is home to 1.5 million bats at peak season, which emerge en masse every evening in the spring and summer. The sight is spectacular, and one that is available any night March through October, although the best time is in late summer, when the bat pups have been born and begin to accompany their mothers on the nightly prowls for food. The pregnant bats migrate north from Mexico in the springtime, making their homes in the deep openings under the Congress Avenue Bridge. This congregation is the largest urban bat colony in North America. They begin making their way back to Mexico in early October. There are plenty of good spots around Town Lake to sit and wait for the bats to emerge (it can take up forty-five minutes for all the bats to emerge once they have begun!), or you can stand on the bridge itself to watch. Make sure to be there early so that you don't miss the flight. It is helpful to call the Bat Hotline (512-416-5700, ext. 3636) to find out the time the bats are expected to appear, usually around 8 or 8:30pm. Lone Star Riverboat and Capital Cruises both offer riverboat tours from which you can get an excellent view of the bat flight. |