Pipistrelle Colony Count, Inn at Whitewell

Grove Lane Plantation - Wednesday 3rd September

Grove Lane saw more new members coming out for the chance to learn a bit about bat surveys and use of bat detectors.

A couple of early Common Pipistrelles commuting down the lane gave some hope of a decent night despite the dire forecast. As it turned out the majority of activity was Common Pipistrelles foraging under tree cover with the odd 50khz call to add confusion. As we headed down to the River Calder some Soprano Pipistrelles and plenty of social calls were recorded too.

I'd had high hope of picking up Leisler's given Grove Lanes proximity to our survey site the previous week but nothing but Pipistrelles could be heard, the cold and wet weather was probably a factor here.

Trawling through recordings the next morning it turns out I recorded one Noctule pass but judging by the faintness of the call it was obviously some distance off.

Memorial Park - Wednesday 27th Meeting

Another good evening of surveying.

A small group met at Padiham Leisure Centre and spent time looking at obvious roost signs before heading into Memorial Park to record bat activity.

Plenty of Common Pipistrelles with a possible emergence from the nursing home. One Brown Long Eared was observed hunting under the trees above the air raid shelter, the early time suggesting a possible roost in the shelter itself

Once down by the River Calder plenty of Common  Pipistrelle activity was recorded with the addition of foraging Noctules. And then came the suprise. A lone Leisler's foraging, this is the first confirmed record of this bat in the East Lancs area. There is one historic record of a injured Leisler's being found in a factory roughly 500 metres away from where we were recording, so it is looking like there's a roost in the area which will be worth pinpointing

We'll be revisiting the area to get more records in the future.