(Chimney swifts) Bats in the Belfry - 5 Points - Athens, GA

I stand corrected. Cathy Dailey has identified this phenomenon as chimney swifts. I Googled around and found some other video, and no doubt, that's the deal.

So, for those of you reading this post ipso facto, you will make allowances for the edits below. Regardless, if you are in Athens, this is amazing, so go check it out next time you head over to Five Points, 8pm.

A few nights ago, I noticed a swarming funnel of (chimney swifts) bats whirling over the roof tops in Five Points (Athens, GA) and decided to return a few nights later to capture video. Unfortunately, the compression makes it really hard to see clearly.

View the video on my blog:
http://fallowfields.blogspot.com/2009/09/bats-in-belfry-5-points-athens-ga.html

I'm not sure how early the (chimney swifts) bats begin their swarm - presumably a means of (going to bed) herding mosquitoes - but they disappear into the chimney between 8-8:10pm just before the sky goes completely dark.

Standing in front of Five Points Bottle Shop, look across the street at the roof tops you will see and hear the bat storm. I can only imagine how it sounds from inside the apartment and how much guano must be stacking up (birds or bats, this has got to be loud and caked).

There was some speculation about the flock being swallows, but no doubt these are (chimney swifts) bats.

The Big Picture:



Flurries:



Streaming into the Chimney: