In article >,
OmManiPadmeOmelet > wrote:

> All three of our local supermarkets, due to the size of the ceilings,
> have a small population of wild birds that live inside of them. ;-)
> Mostly sparrows.
>
> Wal-mart and the super HEB have a few grackles as well.
>
> They even reproduce, I can hear the babies in some of the more sheltered
> places in the ceilings.
>
> Does not bother me, I find it to be rather charming! I just make sure I
> wash my produce. I think they are cute and am impressed that the store
> management leaves them alone.
>
> They could always poison them but more would just come in. It's a
> problem with automated doors.
>
> Anyone else?

I live in NJ. I have never seen that happen, but I have seen birds in
other buildings, including my parents' house. A few years ago, I stopped
by late at night to visit my parents because I was passing by and I saw
their lights on, which is unusual for midnight. I stopped in just to
make sure everything was okay. It was a nice summer evening. My mom was
watching a movie in the living room. Dad was sound asleep upstairs in
their bedroom.

Mom and I sat and we chatted for a few minutes. I glanced up at the
ceiling and I noticed a bat quietly flying in a big circle in the living
room. My mom did not nice anything unusual. So, I got curious about how
long it would take for my mom to notice the bat flying around and I
allowed our conversation to continue.

After about ten minutes, I asked my mom if she noticed anything flying
around by the ceiling. She said she thought it was just a piece of paper
or something flying around. I told her it was a bat. Much to my
surprise, my mom let out a loud shriek. My dad being my dad did not come
down to see what all the yelling was about. He remained sound asleep.

I was fascinated by how a bat could get in my parents' house, so I
continued to watch and see what it would do. My dad finally came down
after my mom demanded that I wake him up. My dad, being a bit groggy and
not thinking to clearly, stood on a foot stall and grabbed the bat wit
his bare hands. The bat proceeded to bite my dad. My dad tossed the bat
out the front door and it flew away.

My dad's bat bite wasn't too bad; it only drew a small amount of blood.
A band aid, wash with soap and water, and some antiseptic ointment fixed
him up ... so we thought. When I reminded my dad that bats can carry
rabies, he did not look too thrilled. The next morning, he called his
doctor (who's a long-time friend of his) and his doctor had him get
rabies shots. Due to my dad's medical plan at the time, he had to pay
the $1,100 for a series of several painful shots. My dad called his
insurance agent (also a long-time friend) to ask if his home owners'
policy would cover the shots. The agent said that my dad's policy "did
not cover stupidity" at least that's what my dad said the agent said.

Lesson learned: Don't handle a stray bat with your bare hands!