Late-afternoon bat

One of the treats of Indian Summer, those warm days that follow the first killing frost, is the late afternoon appearance of bats sailing low up and down our country road. The chiropterans, alas, have been scarce for the past few years, the victims of a horrendous plague called White Nose Syndrome, a fungal infection, probably introduced from Europe, that often takes a horrendous toll on bats in their hibernation caves. The mortality rate among some once common species has been in excess of 90 percent of the local population, but other bats, particularly those that hibernate in less-crowded conditions, are still around to work the twilight for the last of the insects. There are some photographers who specialize in photographing these remarkable flying mammals, and they often use the highest of high-tech equipment to capture amazing images of bats in flight. Armed with the lowest of low-tech equipment, I'm not in that photographic league. Nevertheless, I enjoy making an attempt. This photo won't make National Geographic, but at least you can tell what it is.