Most evenings spring through fall we can look out over our property and watch bats swooping through the air catching insects; that seldom happens after first frost. Thus, we were a mite surprised "This Week at Hilton Pond" to find one of these winged mammals as a January visitor to an unusual location in our bathroom. To learn more about our encounter with this mid-winter chiropteran, please visit our photo essay for 17-25 January 2012; there are some interesting bat close-ups you might not have seen before. The installment is at http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek120117.html

While there don't forget to scroll down for our list, albeit paltry, of birds banded or recaptured during the period, as well as miscellaneous nature notes about bird scarcity, some waterfowl that came calling, and a word about January precipitation.

Happy Nature Watching!

BILL