Bat box check at Draycote Water

We held a bat box check tonight, to hunt for Nathusius' pipistrelles (or anything else) at Draycote Water.

   

Interestingly many of the Schwegler 2F boxes have evidence of birds nesting include two with blue tits in residence. Many of the boxes had plenty of bat droppings, particularly the flat boxes. One of the flat boxes contained a single soprano pipistrelle.

Bat Group Talk - Thermal Imaging in Bat Work by Dr Kayleigh Fawcett

Thermal Imaging is a hot (excuse the pun) topic in the world of bats. It provides a non-invasive method to study behaviour, complementing traditional techniques with cutting edge technology and has enabled new insight into bat behaviour, especially on a landscape scale that could be vital in shaping how mitigation and compensation measures are designed.

Kayleigh will be talking about the technology, its applications, her experiences and potential for future directions in this new and exciting field. The meeting will also include a very brief AGM.

About Kayleigh :
Dr Kayleigh Fawcett is a Senior Ecological Consultant based in the Nottingham.

Kayleigh used thermal imaging technology in academic research projects as part of her PhD research on a variety of bat species in Denmark, Belize and Canada and subsequently over the past two years she has been using and developing thermal imaging techniques to survey for bats on a variety of projects.

Everyone welcome!

£3 for Warwickshire Bat Group members or £4 for non members

When: Wednesday 16th March at 7:30pm

Where: Community Room, The Kenilworth Centre, Abbey End Car Park, Kenilworth CV8 1QJ

As this is a new venue for us this season, here are some detailed directions:If you're driving North through Kenilworth town centre: When you get to the clock tower roundabout take the second exit (straight on) and then, with the Holiday Inn on your left, turn right down the side of the Almanack pub. Follow the road round to the right and the Kenilworth Centre is on your left. There is a high mesh fence at the front.

On foot, with the clock tower at your back, walk through the gap in the shops by Lil Greens and the Kenilworth Centre will be in front of you.

Once in the building, the Community Rooms are upstairs (there is a lift).

Members' event - searching for Barbastelles

Last week a group of Warwickshire Bat Group members carried out bat box checks as part of the ongoing monitoring of boxes put up specifically to attract the rare Barbastelle bat. Endoscopes were used to look in the boxes, in order to minimise any potential disturbance of the bats. (Jon holds a licence which allows him to do this, since disturbing bats in their roosts is a criminal offence unless you hold a licence to do so.) The majority of the boxes were unoccupied, but some contained one or two pipistrelles. But finally our perseverance was rewarded - one box did contain a Barbastelle and the endoscope enabled us to get this picture of him up in the box.

Pipistrelle in a bat box

Barbastelle in a bat box

Almost all of the bats we saw in the boxes were awake, which is a worrying feature of this Winter. It's not been cold enough for bats to go fully into hibernation, but since the weather isn't warm enough at night for there to be many (if any) insects flying, bats that are awake risk using up their fat reserves before Spring and may die before the insect populations are sufficient to allow them to feed.

Non-invasive checks

Group members with endoscope

  

Bat Group Talk – The Impact of Woodland Management on Bats by Ian Tanner

There has been a general presumption that woodlands provide a fantastic habitat for bats and that maintaining the extent of a woodland is the key conservation objective. Ian’s studies suggest that not only do bats require positive conservation management within woodlands but that a lack of consideration for bats can and does lead to a loss of at least some bat species from a woodland. This talk considers how best to manage woodlands for bats.
About Ian Tanner:
Ian Tanner has been a member and supporter of Warwickshire Bat Group since the mid 1990’s when he arrived in in the County to undertake the Habitat Biodiversity Audit for Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull, which is now in its 21st year. Ian spends much of his spare time involved in bat conservation related activities.
Everyone welcome!
£3 for Warwickshire Bat Group members or £4 for non members
When: Wednesday 17 th February at 7:30pm
Where: Community Room, The Kenilworth Centre, Abbey End Car Park, Kenilworth CV8 1QJ
As this is a new venue for us this season, here are some detailed directions:If you're driving North through Kenilworth town centre: When you get to the clock tower roundabout take the second exit (straight on) and then, with the Holiday Inn on your left, turn right down the side of the Almanack pub. Follow the road round to the right and the Kenilworth Centre is on your left. There is a high mesh fence at the front.
On foot, with the clock tower at your back, walk through the gap in the shops by Lil Greens and the Kenilworth Centre will be in front of you.
Once in the building, the Community Rooms are upstairs (there is a lift).