It is time to leave Big Bend and move on to other places. There is something magical about this park. I usually like to see new places, but Big Bend is one of those places I have been to 3 times now, and I am sure someday we will return. (Acadia NP in Maine is another of those places.)
On the way out we stopped to take a few distant pictures. We visited the Dinosaur Bone exhibit and took a picture of the Park sign that we missed on the way in.
By 3:00 we had made it to the New Mexico State line and a new time zone, so it was actually just before 3:00 when we stopped at the Carlsbad Caverns Entry sign. At the visitor center we got information and realized they have no camping in the park. We learned about the Bat flight program that would be going on that evening, but were too late to go into the caves.
Back into the town of Carlsbad we found one of the strangest campsites we have been at. It was an RV park right along the Highway and the tent sites backed up against some big metal buildings. They shielded the road noise a bit, but not much.
We were back at the park by 4:50 for the Bat flight Program. Unfortunately once the bats start flying all camera and video must be off and they policed the small crowd diligently. Before the bats flew out, the cave swallows gather and fly in, so I do have a few pictures of them.
We actually had a special show when the bats flew. The bats fly in a circle as they gather in the cave entrance and head off in groups. These groups head off to the river to drink before separating to feed for the night. Group after group exits the cave. About 20 minutes into their flight a Red Tailed Hawk came to feed and we watched him for over an hour as he picked off a bat from the swarm and went over to the rocks or shrubs to feed on it. Sometimes he would miss and go rest a bit before trying again. At the time I thought it made sense-it seems like easy pickings. But bats must not taste very good. I asked the Rangers how often he shows up and one said it was the first time she had seen it. The other ranger who had worked there quite a while said it was only the second time he had seen it. (That made me all the more irritated that I wasn’t allowed to video it, but also excited that we had seen such a unique sight.) I am guessing the Hawk had a bad day hunting, so this was his backup plan.
Back at camp we stopped in the game room where they had an old Galaga video game which used to be one of Mike’s favorites. He dropped a quarter on it, the controls stuck a bit, so one game was enough. It was time for bed.
