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Saturday, 28 May 2011

Kings Wood update

We tried a different area in Kings wood last night.

Three mist nets were put up, but only one common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrllus was netted.

Brown Long Eared Plecotus auritus and Brandts Myotis brandtii were also heard. No barbastelles Barbastella barbastellus were heard.

Other than this it was a quite night with temperatures dropping off after sunset.

Martin

Saturday, 21 May 2011

Noctule roost




Last monday the group undertook one of the regular suverys in the west of the county.

A week before a bat walk was undertaken there and a large number of Noctules Nyctalus noctula about.


On the Monday myself Bob. Mark and the others had a look around the trees and noticed that there were bats in one of them.


We hand netted the bat shown in the picture (Taken by Angie Cornwell) this turned out to be a pregant female. 21 bats were counted out of the roost but some may of been misssed, but a noctule pre-maternity roost has been found.




Martin




John Adams Roost


















For over twenty two years the Bat Group has been monitoring a Common pipistrelle roost, which is believed to be a pre-maternity roost. We have in the past hand netted most years and these have always been females. On the 17th we found there to be a male and not only that but his Buccal galnds were enlarged. We are hoping to hand nett later this week to find out more.


Photos Jude Hirstwood


Martin


Sunday, 8 May 2011

Kings Wood Survey










Wednesday the 4th May saw the group head into the NNR of Kings Wood.


A mist nett was put up and the bat opposite was netted.


It would seem to be a Brandts bat Myotis brandtii, Bob managed to get a close up of the teeth (see below). There is clearly a protocone or cingulum cusp on premolar (p4) this is roughly the same size as of the smaller premolar (p3).




However every UK bat worker knows just how hard it is to ID brandts, whiskered and now of course alcathoe bats. If you think we have the ID wrong post a comment.




No barbastelles Barbastella barbastellus were heard, which is unusal as the wood is well known for them.






The next woodland survey will be on the 23rd May (to be confirmed) details will follow soon after.


Martin

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

Slaughters Wood Results



Well,


Eight members of the group turned up at the woodland last Friday. 14 bats in total were netted 8 of which were male common pipistrelles the other 6 escaped the net before they could be sexed.

A survey at Kings Wood will be taking place tonight and I will get the results up once I have them.

Martin