Personal Narrative: Minnekhada Beach Bats

As I am always interested in the nature around us, I joined BMN in 1993, after I worked as a volunteer at the Wildlife Rescue Association for a few years and worked closely with Liz Thunstrom. Since my early retirement, Minnekhada became one of my favorite locations as I saw many horses in the stable, as well as a few Black Bears. During the time I carried (headed? Oversaw?) “Foster Home Project for Swallows” for Liz of WRA, I visited frequently the Minnekhada farm area, and became acquainted with the horse owners. One day in late summer of 1995, one of the horse owners told me a large number of bats were flying out of the attic. I immediately obtained an agreement from the park staff, brought a ladder and a film camera Nikon F-90X, and climbed up to the attic. I saw about 60 bats in a few groups, hanging on the sloped ceiling. I took a couple of shots and quietly walked around the attic to see mostly the same species of bats.
Provincial Museum in Victoria. I received confirmation from Dr. Nagorsen on Nov. 15, 1995 (Attachment 1) kindly informing me the bat is the Townsend's Big-ear Bat. Dr. Nagorsen visited Minnekhada twice in 1996 with a few scientists and GVRD officials, and confirmed it was a Maternity Colony. Based on his advice, the GVRD preserved the stable buildings as important wildlife habitats. Dr. Nagorsen further confirmed a good number of various bats were roosting in the attic of the residential building on the west side of the stable. Later in the year 1999, GVRD issued a proposed plan to preserve the Minnekhada Regional Park's farm buildings, emphasizing the protection of the Townsend's Big-ear Bat (Attachment