the bats under congress avenue bridge

It sounds really gross but the Congress Avenue bridge, which spans the Colorado River (not The Colorado River but a smaller one), is host to the largest urban bat colony in the United States.  Just a few blocks from my apartment, I took a walk on one of the cooler nights in the past month to get a glimpse of these bats, which emerge at or around dusk to hunt for their insect food.  I tried to watch them earlier in August at the BatFest 2008 but it was on the First Street bridge and too far away to see them fly away as night approached.  While this impromptu visit did not garner the results I wanted (see this picture) I did see them silently fluttering under the bridge, thousands of them on the hunt.  Honestly, I was a bit scared and worried about the 'ew' factor but it is a matter of pride, this daily event of Austin.  I will go again so that I can witness that impressive swarm.