A record number of bats...

Cheeking the breeding status by looking for the size of
the nipples
(Photo:Graham Warnes)

I was off to Northamptonshire at the start of the week to survey two woodlands, one close to a water body and one site away from water. The away from water site was full of old wild cherry trees and lots of badger droppings with cherry seeds in! At this site, amongst other things, we caught 10 Natterers, which is a record for the number of one species I’ve caught on any night this summer. At the other site in Northamptonshire we got a good diversity of species and caught no more than two of any species. We also caught a potential Brandt’s, Whiskered or Alcathoe bat.

Is it a Brandt's, Whiskered or Alcathoe?
(Photo: Jack Riggall)

I then surveyed my first site in Warwickshire. If the cherry tree woodland was the home of Natterers bats, this woodland was the home of Noctules. We caught three Noctules in addition to five other species (see the post "Getting on well in Wytham and Wiltshire" from August 23^rd for more information about Noctules).

Spread Eagle
(Photo: Jack Riggall)

After three reasonably successful nights trapping, I then had by far, my worst night. A storm was threatening all evening, the woodland was on a steep hillside and we only caught one bat. This, as if to follow the theme of the previous night was also a Noctule. This was my first site in Nottinghamshire, let hope the other Notts sites are more successful.

Saturday 24^th August was International Bat Night, but after rain threatening all of the previous night and never materialising, it looked almost certain to rain so I had to cancel the survey. So far I have been very lucky with the weather and only had to cancel this one so far. I have only been properly rained on twice and on both of these occasions it was right at the end of the survey (there has been the odd light shower during other surveys but nothing to halt proceedings). Fingers crossed there are plenty more dry nights between now and the end of September.

Processing a bat with members of the Leicestershire
and Rutland Bat Group
(Photo: Jack Riggall)

Sunday 25^th August has been one of my best nights trapping so far, we caught 18 bats (my previous record was 17) of 8 or 9 species (I say 8 or 9 as we caught two Brandt’s/Whiskered/Alcathoe bats which may turn out to be the same or different species after DNA analysis). This woodland has a good structure with a variety of tree species, a small reservoir in the middle and is surrounded by acid and heath grassland which is managed by grazing long horn cattle.

I am studying for a self-funded MSc at the University of Bristol with equipment and support from the Bat Conservation Trust http://www.bats.org.uk/ and training and guidance from Daniel Whitby of AEWC Ltd. If you would like to contact me about my research please email: philip.brown@bristol.ac.uk