Kings Wood Bat Box Project

Hi,

A little while ago I mentioned that the group had a bat box project lined up for this summer.

Well I can now reveal that the project is set up with 50 woodcrete boxes being put up in the largest of Bedfordshire's woodlands.

These boxes will be left to weather in over the summer, probably being checked once this year.

The plan is no then check these the following summer roughly once a month.

For those without experience of seeing wild bats up close and for those training for their licence this will be a great opportunity to gain handling experience.

There is also a good chance of seeing species such as brandts Myotis brandtii or barbastelle Barbastellus barbastella

Once the first check is complete I'll bring an up date.

Martin

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

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

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

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

May is here

Well,

May is pretty much round the corner now and the bat season proper is about to kick off, 29th April sees the first of the seasons woodland surveys in Luton. Its an unknown to the bat group but has promise, the guides (owners of the woodland) have given permission to mist net and do detector surveys.

I'll bring an update to you when the survey is complete.

M

Bat Season Finally Begins

Just a quick reminder that the bat season offically starts on Monday the 4th April, the first regular survey of the season will be taking place at Stockgrove CP meeting in the usually place at 7.15pm. Martin

Danny Fellman has been busy in the north of the county. Here he has put up a bat box of my design to see if any other species will use it. Its alongside a Kent box and wedge box for comparison. Keep watching this space for details on a scientific bat box project which the group hopes to start this season. We have secured the funding and Bob, Simon and others are looking around the woodland today to finalise the potential locations.

Hib's Surveys Feb

Hi

A total of 96 bats across the sites this Feb, only two sites had no bats