Pipistrelle Colony Count, Inn at Whitewell

After an unsuccessful attempt at a Lesser Horseshoe Survey on the 10th June. we returned on Wednesday the 17th to carry out a colony count on the roost we'd noticed on the way out of the pub.

First bats started emerging at 8.57 and by 22.40 we'd counted 621 out. The roost contains both Common and Soprano Pipistrelles.

Bat Group meeting 7th March 2009 - Bat box making at Towneley

 A successful day was held at Offshoots Permaculture Project with over 60 people attending and taking part in Bat box building. 15 standard boxes were built, covered and positioned in Towneley's bird reserve and we'll be checking the boxes in autumn to see how successful they have been.

We also made the most of locally felled and planked timber to create 6 crevice boxes using Kent Bat Groups crevice box plan as a base for the design. These boxes look more attractive to crevice roosting species and it's going to beintersting to see how take up of these boxes compares with that of the standard boxes..

Hibernation Surveys 2009 - Bats Underground Project

We've been busy identifying sites for hibernation surveys this winter and have turned up a suprising number of caves, mines and tunnels that need checking out.

A good start to the season was the discovery of a hibernating Lesser Horseshoe bat but good numbers of both Natterer's and Brown Long Eared bats have also been recorded.

Work will carry on in January with more visits.

Brown Long Eared bat wedged in cave crevice

Hibernating Brown Long Eared bat hanging from cave wall

Bat group members using a  thermal imaging camera to measure body temperature of hibernating bats.

Thermal image of hibernating Brown Long eared bat note body temperature of 5.9c

Access to some of the caves is difficult........

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.