Kerryn has been working on a project for the University of Sydney which has involved the collection of samples to find out more about the species’ diet and hormonal state.

The research will also see the samples from Wingham screened for Hendra virus which made headlines this year when outbreaks were confirmed up the coast.

She explained that some of the $2 million of government funding for Hendra has trickled down to fund parts of her research at colonies around the state, including Wingham Brush.

Kerryn said by taking a look at flying fox stress levels, indicated by hormones, it may reveal information on why Hendra virus infections have so far been restricted to certain areas.

“So far we haven’t had an outbreak nearby and we want to know why that’s the case,” she said.

So what has the local flying foxes mouths watering at this time of year? Kerryn explained virtually all of the flying foxes tested have been dining on native blossoms, one of their favourite foods.

Despite the common misconception, flying foxes would much prefer to eat native blossoms and figs before they attack our back yard fruit tree.

This usually happens when native food sources are scarce because of drought or habitat destruction.

The flying foxes play an important role in pollinating native plants.

“The bats up here are doing a great job.”

Over the past 20 years, Kerryn has witnessed a shift of flying fox colonies into urban areas, particularly in Sydney where flying-fox colonies have popped up in city parks.

This can be put down to the fact much of the vulnerable species’ habitat has been destroyed to make way for people.

Kerryn has a fascination with these highly migratory, flying mammals. They are capable of travelling a long way in a short time. Grey-headed flying foxes fitted with satellite collars in Melbourne turned up in Sydney a couple of days later.

Because of their tendency to move around, it is difficult to accurately pinpoint numbers in colony sites unless counts are conducted at a number of sites at the same time.

“The colony sites are like backpacker hostels with bats constantly coming and going,” she said.

Kerryn studied her PhD in flying fox movements in 1985.

“I found it fascinating right from the start,” she said.

Some of her earliest research took place in Wingham, and she has kept coming back for more than 20 years.

Dr John Stockard, who played an integral role in the regeneration of Wingham Brush, was one of her earliest contacts in town.

As was Amanda Boardman from FAUNA who is one of her trained “bat banders”.

“We band rehabilitated flying foxes with numbered thumb rings so they can be identified if they “come down” again,” she said.

Her latest trip saw her stay at Linga Longa Farm bed and breakfast with her mother, Gwen Parry-Jones, a well known flying fox and wildlife conservationist.

Gwen was honored with an Order of Australia medal in the General Division in 2010 for her service to conservation and the environment, particularly through the Wambina Flying-Fox Education and Research Centre which she founded on the Central Coast.

Gwen’s affinity with flying foxes grew when Kerryn brought home some orphaned ones as part of her studies.

“I was like Dr Doolittle,” Gwen laughed.

Sadly numbers of the species, which only give birth to one baby a year, are going down overall.

“There are more dying than there are being born,” Kerryn said.

Wingham Brush is showing good numbers of both the Black and Grey-headed flying fox at the moment. Kerryn estimates there to be more than 40,000 flying-foxes living in the small pocket of sub-tropical rainforest.

Kerryn said she’s glad the days flying foxes were thought of as vermin are over.

Meanwhile she remains on the trail to find out more about the intriguing species and vows she’ll be back in the Wingham Brush again soon.