Looking for Bechstein’s Day One

Lia Gilmour joined us yesterday with an impressive pile of equipment. She and Bob went out to look for suitable trapping sites in Kings Wood Houghton Conquest. The wood was looking particularly fine

Photo Bob Cornes

While we were there we found a beautiful Light Emperor moth

 As night fell, a small group of people staggered into the wood carrying equipment and set up harp traps , lures and mist nets, then settled down to wait

Photo Bob Cornes

Bill looks like he is bored to death here, but he is daydreaming about owning a Griffin one day.

Photo Bob Corrnes

Brown long eared bat Photo Bob Cornes

Lia took charge of the harp trap

This brown long eared bat was a gentle soul

Photo Bob Cornes Noctule

We also caught this male Noctule who looks very gentle but was a feisty gentleman who really didn’t approve of being caught and was very vocal in his complaints.
No Bechstein’s though – better luck next time.
On examining the recordings we made we can confirm the presence of barbastelle in this wood.