All Nighter

We undertook an all nighter at an undisclosed location in Bedfordshire on Friday into Saturday morning. 8 members of the group walked transects around the area for 2hrs, after which the sound analysis was undertaken.

There was masses of soprano pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus and noctules Nyctalus noctula around the area making it very hard to pick out myotis spp. bats.

Later mist nets were put up but nothing was caught, this was followed by walking around the area from 4.00am to try and find dawn swarming of Myotis spp. bats. This si a lot harder than it seems as often the woodland doesn't get as light as open areas.

No myotis spp. roosts could not be found although several were heard around the area. the large roost already known at the location was amazing to watch come dawn, with hundreds of bats swarming.

Martin

Bat Boxes

Danny Fellman has been using different designs of bat box were he works in Bedford to see if there is a preference, as mentioned before, I had a text message on Saturady to tell me that he had found a single pipistrelle Pipistrellus spp. in one of the boxes I designed.

This is the first bat to use this design of box, although it was designed with species other than pipistrelles in mind, at least the design works!!!

Mid Bedfordshire Woodland Surveys

A further woodland survey undertaken in mid Bedfordshire.

Several bats were mist netted including Barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus, Natterers Myotis nattereri and brown long eared Plecotus auritus.

Others including soprano pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus and Noctule Nyctalus noctula were also heard flying in the wood.

Martin