About bats

Vampires may be all the rage, but bats remain one of Earth's most maligned and misunderstood creatures. At the June 14 monthly meeting of the Connecticut Association for Aviculture (CAFA), noted bat authority Gerri Griswold will offer a rare close encounter with a live, non-releasable big brown bat and explain why bats are allies, not enemies.
The public is invited to attend the session, which begins at 8 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Clubhouse in East Hartford, and to meet this passionate bat rehabilitator and educator.
Griswold will discuss the biology, ecology and cultural highs and lows of these extraordinary creatures, known for their sonar navigation abilities. She will also shed light on white-nose syndrome - an illness that is currently devastating the nation's bat population.
Admission to the program is free for members of CAFA, the state's oldest companion bird club. There is a $3 suggested donation for non-members.
The Veterans Memorial Clubhouse is located at 100 Sunset Ridge Drive in East Hartford. For more information about this event, visit www.cafabirdclub.org.