Bat Walk at Schwarz Farm

Date & Time: Friday, July 18th,  8:15 PM Meet at the Farm House.

Presenter: Julie Zeyzus/Bill Powers

Directions: The Westmoreland Land Trust , 96-acre Schwarz Farm is 3 miles north of Greensburg off Old Route 66N on Beech Hills Road.  Follow Old Rt 66 and turn left on Old Old Rt 66 just before “Sixty Six Suds Car Wash”. Immediate Left at “Y” on Beech Hills Road. Beech Hill Road takes a right after 6/10 mile.  Schwarz Farm house is on the right about 2/10 mile.

Address: 530 Beech Hills Rd, Jeannette, PA 15644

Description: The program at the WLT house will begin at 8:15 PM, (half hour before sunset on July 18).  The talk will focus on the Bat Project  at the property and  cover the bat species known to reside in PA during the summer months. The talk will give a quick intro to bat echolocation and the equipment that will be used on the bat walk.

At about 8:35PM, the  walk will begin to the barn to watch the bats emerge.  After they are done flying out or after a long break between fly-outs, we will
go for a walk on the property with acoustic equipment to “listen” for bats and see their call depicted on the equipment.  The barn emergence and walk will be approximately one hour.  It will include some hilly areas.  For the walk, participants will need to dress appropriately for weather conditions; wear sturdy shoes; be aware there may be ticks, snakes, and poison ivy; and bring a flashlight.

Participants can download an App “Echo Meter Touch” by Wildlife Acoustics to their phone and at the event share several microphones.