Bat Conservation Trust

Fangtastic Fundraising

2011-12-06T06:41:00.000-08:00

As September drew to a close, and the weather got…hotter than it had been all summer, the Bat Helpline office at the Bat Conservation Trust licked their ice lollies and looked ahead to the end of October. Halloween being inextricably linked with bats already; it serves as an excellent opportunity to challenge the myths that persist about this charming mammal. But with all the spooky inspiration and ‘bat tat’ hitting the shops, it’s also a great time to throw a party in aid of bats. The fundraising team planned their Halloween Party Pack, and some staff took inspiration, volunteering to take up the challenge in their own time. The plotting began...

As we embarked with a careful mix of planning and optimism, and the sound advice of the party pack to guide us, it was clear that the first task was to find a venue. Helpline Officer David scoured the city for pubs, clubs and bars which a) didn’t charge for room hire and b) could be convinced to keep the bar take target low, to leave our guests with more money for the raffle, creepy cakes and bat badges (beautifully made by Anney Youngman, Scottish Bat Officer). With the date confirmed for Halloween itself, and Seasonal helpline Officer Jess established as ‘King of Decorating’ (n.b. Jess has no actual monarchic powers, she just likes to think she does), our next task was to get the word out.

Fantastic BCT pumpkin by Crystal Schintz

Despite being a fairly sociable bunch at BCT, after inviting all our friends it became clear we would need to advertise further afield if we were going to fill out the venue and put on the sort of party UK bats rightly deserve. As a result, we sent out an invitation to all BCT followers on facebook, as well as other wildlife groups we thought would appreciate a good old London knees up in honour of our furry flying friends. Slowly, the list of confirmed attendees grew, with nearly half those attending getting their tickets beforehand via our Justgiving page , and we breathed a collective sigh of relief. The rest of the tickets were sold on the door.

Another way that money was raised was via our bat raffle. The BCT office responded generously to the call for raffle prizes; they ranged from a number of bat themed items (wooden bat box, bat posters, cuddly toys) to the slightly more obscure (meerkat money box anyone?). All were well received, and special mention must go to Heather at BCT, who dealt well with the lack of a mic to call the raffle with the sort of lung capacity not normally associated with a dancing skeleton.

Anyway, back to the preparations… Having snared a minion in BCT’s Admin Assistant Sian (who is definitely a minion despite being significantly more learned in craft lore than Jess), Jess

arranged a pre-party decorating party at the BCT office, to take stock of the pound shop bat tat, horded decorations from previous years, and crafting templates which had accumulated around the helpline ‘bat cave’. Over wine and snacks, we painted cut-out bats; experimented with the idea of a ‘hook a bat’ game utilizing plastic long-eareds and corks; and stuck googly eyes to every available surface. Bea created a marvellous bat box for the silent auction; Dave (a crafting newbie!) made bat table cloths; and other staff offered to help with party ‘homework’.

The weekend before the party featured scary amounts of glitter, pumpkin innards and dry leaves (collected from Streatham Common for party floor decoration!). Bags of bat tat, boxes of prizes, and the kindly loaned DJ decks (thank you Psyche DJ !) arrived at Clerkenwell’s 1920 club during the day. By kick off a team of volunteers had stuck branches to pillars; hung beautifully crafted bats throughout; draped everything in fake cobweb; and were hurriedly tidying up.

In total, we raised almost six hundred pounds for bat conservation, earning a great sense of achievement and picking up some new craft skills on the way. As for the party, we’ll let the photographic evidence speak for itself!

If you ran a BCT bat fundraiser for halloween, you can send in your donations online!

The Scottish Bat Workers Conference 2011: how was it for you?

2011-11-23T07:20:00.000-08:00

Talks at the Scottish bat workers conference

The Scottish Bat workers conference was held at Stirling University on Saturday 12^th November. Anne Youngman, who organised the conference, writes:

Phew – it’s done.

That was the biggest and (I feel) the best ever Scottish conference. J. So far. Around 140 batty people “flew” in. Most came from Scotland but a few intrepid explorers crossed the borders of England and Wales, bringing with them exciting tales of rare bats and adding a touch of the exotic.

Delegates enjoy the displays and bat chat

Mark Robinson (Arborteering Limited)

The conference was sponsored by Mark Robinson, Arborteering Limited. He’s not just an ordinary hero but a MMMM Mark Robinson super hero (that bit should be read in a deep sexy voice). Mark not ONLY sponsored the conference he ALSO ran a brilliant workshop. (HOORAY he’s not just oak- kay , he’s tree-mendous)

Stirling University is a great place for our conference. It’s THE leading place for bat research in Scotland, due to the “Kirsty Park” effect, attracting bat researchers. In addition the beautiful parkland setting offers ideal bat habitat.

The conference contained; talks, workshops, an update of bat news, displ ays AND sales tables (I treated myself to several batty Christmas presents....... because I’m worth it!)

Julia Hanmer gave an update on What’s new in BCT? The answer is LOADS, from new research to new website resources.

Northumberland bat group (Tina Wiffen and Graeme Smart) told us about their search for the elusive Nathusius pipistrelle. Many bat calls were recorded, many volunteers recruited, many miles trudged, many oops occasional beers were quaffed (purely in th e interests of science) but NO roosts were found. Where on earth are these bats roosting??? (All together – they’re behind you!!!) The search will go on.... watch this space in 2012 for the continued adventures of the Northumberland bat group (Haway the lads ... and the lasses).

A team with more luck were the “Looking forLeisler’s“ gang. In fact this lot were positively blessed with bats. (Jammy) John Haddow discovered the joys of..... an aerial walkway, the perfect place to put up mist nets. Bats, Ailsa, Betty and Craig were radio tagged and showed the humans seven tree roosts and favourite foraging areas. Stuart Spray’s filming of a tree roost proved a much more accurate way of “counting” bats out, rather than relying on eyesight alone.

Now Culzean can boast it has 8 of the 9 Scottish species –only the whiskered bat remains to be found. (It’ll be there somewhere and what a party we’ll have when it’s found!!)

During lunch time delegates were able to watch a film (by movie – mogul Stuart Spray) entitled “Looking for Leisler’s”. Sequels are promised.

Seven different workshop topics were on offer (plus the option NOT to attend a workshop but simply take a break to catch up with bat chat).

Workshops ranged from; Bat care to bat dropping analysis with sound analysis in between. Feedback from all the workshops was very good, the only “negative“ comment was that an hour and a quarter was not long enough, everyone wanted “more, more , more.....!” So next year workshop sessions will last an hour and a half.

Eyes down, looking in for bat dropping bingo: Number 2 - longeared pooh, Legs only 7 – Spider in heaven, Shiny things – beetle wings, Bat dropping soup- crumbly poop, Tiny little bits – ex-chironomids. Guano!

Despite technical problems with the University AV equipment and a shortage of handouts* the Using Your Ears workshop by Natalie Todman got rave reviews.* (Sorry everyone the shortage of hand outs was MY fault- grovelling apology from Anne Y)

The bat care workshop had the added attraction of real bats – something that delighted participants.

At the end of the day delegates were refreshed by Titley Scientific (who sponsored the afternoon tea break.) Cheers Titley.

Stuart Spray filmed events during the day – watch this space for a link to the results, or keep your ears open for announcements of BATFAS / Oscars in future.

It just remains for me to say thank you (to a huge long list of stars):

Stephen Brown – at Stirling University for helping organise the whole day – and the bat biscuits

John Wierwiorka- our “techie-angel”

Speakers – Julia Hanmer, Tina Wiffen, Graeme Smart, John Haddow, DR Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor ( newly doctored), and Kirsty Park

People who gave news updates- Ben Ross, Robert Raynor, Katy Freeman, Natalie Todman, Emilie Wadsworth, Andy Kerr, Tom Hastings, good looking young chap from Tayside (sorry I forgot your name)

Workshop leaders- Mark Robinson, Philip Briggs, Natalie Todman, Tom Hastings, Sue Swift, Tracey Joliffe and Danielle Linton.

Here’s a date for your diary 2012

Next year’s conference will be at the Scottish Natural Heritage Conference centre, (Battleby) near Perth, on Saturday 10^th November (if the Lord spares us!!)

Can you help?

Anyone who would like to offer; talks, workshops, sponsorship or chocolate should contact

Anne Youngman, Scottish Officer, Bat Conservation Trust email: ayoungman@bats.org.uk

(Or have you suggestions for talks and speakers you’d like to hear, this is your chance to nominate a friend/colleague/victim.

THANK YOU to our sponsors Arborteering Ltd.

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-25T09:17:00.000-07:00

October 31st rolls around every year, and we know it’s all to do with witches, ghosts, costume parties, pumpkins, and most notably to BCT, bats. But do we know what it actually is all about? Originally, before we all got lazy with pronunciation, Halloween was known as ‘All Hallows Eve’ and referred to the day before All Saints Day. The Celts believed that this was the night that the gap between the human world and the spirit world was weakest, and they built bonfires to keep the evil spirits away. So that explains the ghosts. Jack O’ Lanterns derived from the Irish using light to keep away those who were stuck between life and death, and witches are believed to gather together on this night. Incidentally, if you want to see a witch at midnight on Halloween, you have to wear your clothes inside out and walk backwards all night. Let me know how that goes…

But where do bats feature in this? We’re genuinely not sure. Somewhere along the line they’ve got a reputation of flying around, sucking people’s blood and turning into caped Counts during the daylight hours. None of these are true. Apart from the flying around. I’ll give you that one. Yes, it’s true that there are vampire bats. But what the horror films don’t tell you is that they are no bigger than your hand-span, do not transform into ‘vicked vampires who vant to suck your blood’ and do not actually drink human blood, but cattle blood. Also, they don’t suck. When feeding on cattle they create a small cut in the cattle’s shoulder and lick up the dribbling blood. The cattle barely even notice. Blood sucking fiend and a danger to all human-kind? Hardly. Will they get tangled in your hair? Given the exceptional accuracy of their echolocation, this is almost impossible. Is the bat a useless rodent? (Pause for the audible gasp from the BCT office). Absolutely not. Not only are bats not rodents, but they are incredibly valuable as pest controllers and as pollinators. Some of our favourite things rely on the presence of bats – chocolate and tequila to name just two!

The Bat Conservation Trust assumes the responsibility of correcting all these myths about bats. This year we’ve been to Wildlife Xpo, and Bats and Spiders Weekend to do some myth-busting and raise the profile of bats. We’ve also been busy creating our fundraising packs and planning our Halloween parties. There are piles of crumpled bits of paper littering the office (all to be recycled!) as we come up with ideas, replace them, go back to them, and then start on a completely new theme.( Creativity takes time. And patience.) We’ve got some great ideas, and you know where to find them – our party pack is ready to download and if you need a hand post on our facebook wall. Get those apples covered in toffee, the pumpkins carved, the gingerbread bats baked and the house decorated. The costume looks great, the food is on the table and the guests are on their way. Happy All Hallow’s Eve everyone, don’t let the vampires bite!

Listening to the public, speaking for bats – The Bat Conservation Trust National Helpline – some things I’ve learnt....

2011-09-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

It is estimated that by 2030 a staggering 92 percent of us will be living the ‘urban life’. This is quite a shocking projection, and if it is to be anywhere near realised within the next two decades, it will be at the expense of large parts of our countryside, with cities and towns continuing to eat up important natural habitat in order to accommodate a swelling urban population.

This continued loss of natural habitat is a stark inevitability, and although many of our native species are equipped with the behavioural flexibility to adapt to an urban environment, in order to ensure their persistence, we must find means of accommodating and encouraging them within the fabric of our towns and cities. Although protection of habitat remains the cornerstone policy for conservationists, the reality is that many of the species under threat will only stand a chance of survival in the future if we actively pencil them into our urban plans. This requires careful research and consideration of species’ needs, and the ability to incorporate these into an urban framework while not significantly compromising the needs of the human inhabitants.

Additionally, in order for this proximity between man and beast is to be harmonious, effective communication and education must play their part, engendering attitudes of conservation and protection close to home. This is a modern conservation issue, requiring a modern and multi-angled response. The plight of the UK’s bats, and the subsequent work of the Bat Conservation Trust are a very good example of this 21st century challenge; a challenge that will become more and more prevalent with continued urbanisation in years to come.

Although a nation full of animal lovers, the general public’s enthusiasm for our furry, slimy or feathered friends tends to wain once they encroach upon ‘our’ space, or interfere with our day to day existence: thumbs up for nature, so long as it doesn’t mess on my car or down my windows! As well as the issue of habitat loss, an increase of people living the ‘urban life’ creates another challenge for conservationists: a population more and more disconnected from the natural world. Alongside the physical detachment from the country’s plants and animals that an urban migration leads to, our emotional link with many of these precious organisms is under threat; no longer relevant to a generation where blackberries are now seen as an important communication accessory, rather than tasty pie filler! As a result, a great division of opinion exists when it comes to our feelings towards wildlife. This is especially true when it comes to bats, an animal that has been shrouded in myth ever since stories began, and has gothic associations with evil and bad omens that still underlie much public opinion.
Working on the Bat Conservation Trust Helpline means that I come face to face on a daily basis with the extremes of our own reaction to this group of animals, and has frequently left me baffled as to how the same creature can create such polarised opinion; while one person is gushing with admiration and plans of bat adoption over the phone, another would have you believe that the very spawn of Satan has come fluttering in through their window and is now doing laps around the dining room.

Aside from allowing me to conduct my own crude litmus test on bats and public opinion, working on the National Bat Helpline has also highlighted how even the staunchest bat-opposer can have their opinion softened by some well placed facts and reassurance. The detachment that many of us have with the natural world, especially those in urban areas, can be addressed via effective communication and engagement, and the misunderstanding and disinformation upon which fear and irrationality thrives can be lessened.

Although this battle for the public’s hearts is an essential component in the conservation of bats, their future is still very much dependent upon the appropriate application of practical conservation techniques, and implementation of legal protection.

Fortunately, bats enjoy a high level of protection under both EU and UK law, and since the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), it is an offense to disturb or harm bats as well as their roosting sites. This protection is paramount to the conservation of bats in the UK. They are an animal with a specific set of needs: a roost site with the correct conditions (normally a separate roost site is required for summer and winter seasons), proximity to suitable foraging sites, and sheltered commuting routes between the two; and if the law permitted easy exclusion of bats from roosts at “un-natural” sites, we would see a huge fall in population numbers, and local extinctions would be likely.

However, despite this protection, even our most common species (pipistrelles) have declined in numbers dramatically over the last few decades. This is largely as a result of changes in agricultural practices and the continued loss of mature woodland. Subsequently, protection alone of roost sites may not be enough to conserve bat populations. Instead, we should seek to actively create new spaces and opportunities for them in future developments located in high bat potential areas. Bats are running out of options, so it is important that new ones are created where possible.

Like bats, artificial roost sites come in a number of different shapes and sizes, reflecting the varying preference and requirements of the different species, but essentially their purpose is always the same: to create a sheltered and protected space for an individual or group of bats as either a transient roost site or for the duration of the maternity and/or hibernation seasons. They have mixed success rates, although continued research is providing us with a clearer picture of their specific needs. Traditionally, artificial roost sites are external structures, attached onto the sides of a building. However, there has recently been the emergence of an alternative, integrated bat box. These are built into the walls of a new property; very much a physical acceptance of the idea of a shared space with nature.

Currently however, the only time that such provisions are required in a build is if it follows the destruction or demolition of a previous roost site. That said, there are still many enthusiastic individuals that go out of their way to consider nature in their planned developments, and working on the helpline, and with the assistance of my colleagues, I have had the pleasure of advising where possible on how best to maximise potential for bats in new builds. The hope is that others can be inspired or encouraged to take similar pro-active measures to conserve our bat species, however, the reality is that effective communication and education on its own is unlikely to guarantee a sufficient uptake of such ideas. Instead, as is often the case, monetary incentives are required as a more persuasive means of ensuring compromises are made for conservation. Subsidies are available for ‘green developments’, but following drops in funding (that has also seen green farming subsidies dangerously cut), only the Sustainable Development Fund (DEFRA) now exists as a source of grants and loans for developments that encourage biodiversity in the UK, with the potential for 75% of project costs being supplied from the fund. If continued development is inevitable, then these subsidies are crucial in ensuring that biodiversity targets are met in new urban areas.

By the continued work of organisations such as the Bat Conservation Trust, there is hope that the potential environmental damage caused by continued urbanisation won’t be sufficient to exclude bats and other UK wildlife from our urban areas, and with a little help, could even bring us closer together. Meanwhile, it is important that we continue providing accurate data on the status of bat populations in the UK to justify their protection, provide support and accurate information to all of those that encounter bats in the UK, mobilise public support where possible, and continue research into these fascinating animals. This, along with the generous work of a large network of volunteers in the UK, will ensure the Bat Conservation Trust is well equipped to take on the modern challenges of protecting a species in the face of continued urbanisation, as well as tackle future challenges that may arise.
The Helpline has a big part to play as well, and it has been a real pleasure to have been able to contribute during my time as seasonal helpline officer.

Please visit http://http://www.bats.org.uk/pages/bats_and_buildings.html for more information about bats in the built environment

David Urry, Seasonal Helpline Officer

Our e-communications intern has been working with us for a few weeks now, so we thought it was about time everyone got to know her a little bit better

2011-08-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

“My name is Holly and since I was lucky enough to be appointed the new e-communications intern at the Bat Conservation Trust, I’ve had an eye-opening time. The job is everything I thought it would be, and everyday I’m learning more about just what it takes to keep an organisation like this running. The main roles of my job are updating and editing twitter and Facebook, as well as the website and blog. Todays’ job is to write a blog about myself – so here goes!

As a Masters student studying conservation, the experience I am getting from BCT is invaluable. It’s great to see how a conservation organisation works, from the legislation to the marketing, and I’m learning more about bats every day! My favourite bat is definitely the brown long-eared bat. I have a Chihuahua at home and they look quite similar! I probably won’t try taking a brown long-eared for a walk though…

I’ve always been interested in animals and am a very active person, so a career in conservation seemed like the best road for me to go down. A combination of travelling and studying made me realise this is definitely the route for me, so here I am with my first efforts at saving the world!

I’ve been working here for two weeks now, and have enjoyed every minute. Sitting in the corner tinkering with the website and networking pages and keeping my eye out for any interesting news or updates, it’s been a rewarding experience so far. With lunchtime picnics in the park and inter-departmental games of French boules, I couldn’t wish to work with a nicer group of people, and the passion shared by everyone is inspiring. So far I have edited some of the Facebook and website pages, and even been drafted in to read leaflets onto CD for the visually impaired. I’m hoping to get the chance to take part in some of the conferences that are being held, and am ready to get stuck in to anything else that might be passed my way!

I’m looking forward to the rest of my time here, and am excited about what it will bring. If you have any ideas for the website, Facebook or blog pages please let me know at comms@bats.org.uk and I’ll see what I can do to make sure you all get what you want out of them! In the meantime, keep checking our website and Facebook for updates and events, and make sure you follow us on twitter to keep up to date with what’s happening at BCT!”

Holly Watson
E-communications Intern

2011-07-06T06:55:00.000-07:00

Out of Hours Emergency Service volunteer, Heather Mikhail shares her experiences of responding to emergency calls during the Bat Helpline’s busiest June ever!

“It’s 5:30 in the evening and my phone rings. A picture of a bat pops up. It’s one of the Bat Helpline staff letting me know that all emergency calls to the National Bat Helpline will be coming to my phone! I am ready with my folder of bat information and a map of all the bat carers in the UK. And I know I have back up from Bat Conservation Trust staff just in case I have a call that is an emergency for both the bat and the human.

Once I am connected I wait. Because I’ll have to drop whatever I am doing if the phone rings I don’t cook dinner and I even try to go to the loo as quickly as possible in case someone calls!

When the phone rings I leap into action, (occasionally literally if I have left my phone on the other side of the room) The majority of the time the callers are concerned people who have found baby bats grounded or injured near their home and are keen to help the bat. I give people advice as to how to get the bat out of any immediate danger, and then I look up their nearest volunteer bat carer and arrange an emergency call out. Once I am satisfied the caller has all the information on how to temporarily care for the bat before the bat carer arrives. I log their details onto a call sheet so that the Bat Helpline staff can follow up cases.

Although it can be distressing to receive so many calls about injured bats or baby bats whose mothers were forced to abandon them, it is very heartening to know that many people call us and care so much about British Wildlife. I’ve noticed it’s often children who find the bat and persuade their parents to phone us. This is surely positive for the future of bat conservation, not only are they showing an interest, but there is a direct emotional reward for helping the bat.

I have had some unfortunate calls too though. I once got a call from a fisherman who had caught a bat on his line as he was casting his rod. He was very upset to have hurt the bat. I also get calls from scared people who have bats flying in their homes, these are harder to deal with as the caller is not so enthused about the bat; they are often worried about the bat and can’t necessarily follow the standard advice of leaving the windows open and the lights off. However I try and reassure everyone that calls that bats are gentle creatures in need of our help and they are doing the right thing by contacting us

All in all a night on the Out of Hours Helpline is very rewarding, not just for me knowing that I have helped both bats and people, but also for the callers who make a small connection with nature. It is great to know that together with the public, Out of Hour volunteers, Bat Helpline staff and the volunteer bat carers, we can make a difference to bat conservation.” Heather Mikhail OOH volunteer

Our Out of Hours Emergency Service is under threat. This lifeline recently lost vital government funding needed to support our volunteers, with hard work and dedication from staff and volunteers like Heather we’ve managed to keep the service running… But, for how long we don’t know, that’s why we’re asking for your help.

If you would like to donate to help save this service please visit www.justgiving.com/bats or you can now text BCTS 05 £5 to 70070

Flat bats’ Easter adventure along the Forth and Clyde and Union canals

2011-05-17T02:29:00.000-07:00

Flat bats’ Easter adventure along the Forth and Clyde and Union canals

British Waterways recently launched this year’s Wildlife survey with bats as their target species. Anne Youngman (Scottish Officer for the Bat Conservation Trust) roped in some pals for a batty waterways adventure. Read on to find out what they got up to and just why waterways are so good for bats.

Our story begins on Easter Sunday. Its features the “Fab. Four”
Anne
John
Dylan (the dog)

And last but by no means least the intrepid explorer.......
FLAT BAT

It also features two Scottish canals;
The Forth and Clyde canal (which goes from the west coast at Bowling to the east coast at Grangemouth )
The Union Canal (which goes from Falkirk into the heart of Edinburgh and is linked to the Forth and Clyde by the Falkirk wheel).

This batty blog shows just why canals can be such brilliant places for bats (and other wildlife), for people and not forgetting dogs, especially rascally ones who like long walks, meeting other dogs and swimming.

The adventure started on Easter Sunday; the sun was shining, the birds were singing so Anne and John loaded up their bikes, harnessed up the dog and grabbed flat bat.

They all took the train from Dunblane to Polmont and then cycled (well, Dylan trotted) the short distance from the station to the Union canal.

Things already look great for bats ...

Note the smooth water - perfect for Daubenton’s bats to feed over,
The bridge – which might provide nooks and crannies for bats to roost in
The trees and bushes which not only attract insects but provide sheltered areas to feed in and land marks for navigation
No street lights - so it’s nice and dark for the shyer bats at night
No cars or lorries – so it’s safe for bats to fly across the canal and along its length with very little risk of traffic collision.

The intrepid gang cycled/trotted eastwards along the towpath all the way to Edinburgh. (A distance of around 27 miles). There was plenty to see along the way and lots of good “batty" features.

The wildflower cafe.

The canals make slower, gentler transport links for people who want to travel by boat, bike or by foot, away from noise and bustle with time to enjoy the sights and sounds around them.
The canals also provide commuting routes and habitat for wildlife, from tiny insects through to birds as big as swans and herons and of course they are great for bats too.

The Avon Viaduct has spectacular views. If you are scared of heights it may be a “knee wobbly” challenge. If you are a thrill seeker is knee/nay bother!

The trip was such good fun that on Easter Monday Anne and Flat bat decided to explore the Forth and Clyde canal. They took the train to Glasgow joining the canal at Maryhill locks, then cycled eastwards to Polmont (A distance of around 30miles).

There was plenty of wildlife and wildlife signs along the way. Otter spraints were noted under many of the bridges, particularly the new ones (perhaps the spraints are just easier to see on the smoother stones).
Cycling into swarms of flies was a pain in the eye – but at least it means the bats and fish have plenty of food.
Orange tip and peacock butterflies fluttered by but would not stay still long enough to be photographed. Anne had more luck with swans, who either continued feeding or sitting on their nests

After about 25 miles the fantastic Falkirk wheel came into view. The Wheel is a boat lift which links the Forth and Clyde canal with the Union canal.

Sadly not long after Falkirk it was time to leave the canal and get a train back from Polmont station and home to Dunblane.

The end of a perfectly batty adventure along beautifully batty waterways, or is it? What will the intrepid Flat bat get up to next?????? Watch this space.

Written by - Anne Youngman
Scottish Bat Officer

Further info /useful links
To make your own flat bat to take on an adventure
Insert BCT link http://www.bats.org.uk/publications_download.php/619/Flat_Bat.pdf

For more information on British waterways Wildlife survey

2011-03-14T07:51:00.001-07:00

Builders get Batty: Kelly Gunnell reports back from Ecobuild 2011

It is two weeks post-Ecobuild 2011 and I am still recovering. Ecobuild is the world’s largest event for sustainable design, construction and the built environment, with more than 600 speakers and 1300 exhibitors, all held over 3 days at the beginning of March. This year Ecobuild was held at the Excel Centre in east London which meant that it could accommodate even more visitors. They were expecting more than 50,000 people to attend this year and as you can see from the picture below, it was certainly packed.

BCT had a stand in the Biodiversity Pavilion where a dedicated crew of BCT staff and volunteers helped field all manner of questions. Some queries were certinaly building related and there was much interest in the bat boxes that we had on display. However, we also had to help with general bat education. Yes, someone really did ask if bats laid eggs!

This year Ecobuild used the Cityscape area to host a number of talks relating to Enhancing Biodiversity and Greening the City. The Biodiversity talks covered everything from bees, trees, birds and yes, even bats. I was lucky enough to present two talks on Designing Buildings for Bats which were very well received.

It is great to finally see Biodiversity taking a prime position in a mainstream building related event. Hopefully the organisers will take note from all the interest and realise that Biodiversity rules the world!

If you would like to find out more about bats and how they can be incorporated into buildings why not visit our webpage click here.

Kelly Gunnell
Bats and Built Environment Officer

Sleeping Batties

2011-02-02T03:19:00.000-08:00

Bookkeeper Jane Collett tells us about her first bat outing, where she helped out with a hibernation survey in a disused London tube tunnel..

10.00 - I’m ridiculously excited about today’s hibernation count. Although I joined the Bat Conservation Trust in May, as part-time bookkeeper I had not managed to attend any bat events up until now. The meeting point isn’t far from home so this is a great opportunity. Excitement is tinged with trepidation, as I’m quite claustrophobic and spending hours locked in a dark tunnel isn’t usually my idea of fun…

11.15 - Set off to walk through some woods to our rendezvous. It’s a raw January day and I’m dressed in so many layers I feel like the Michelin Man.

12.15 - We’re ready to start - a mix of Bat Conservation Trust staff, friends and local bat enthusiasts as well as members of the London Bat Group. I’m joined by my friend Wayne, a keen naturalist, who lives nearby. Cindy Blaney of London Bat Group, briefs us. Previous surveys of the two disused railway tunnels have found mainly Natterer’s, some Daubenton’s and a single brown long-eared bat. Then we’re off on the short walk to the tunnels’ entrance. I’ve looked down on them from the main road hundreds of times, but have never seen them from this perspective. We divide into two groups. Nine Bat Conservation Trust staff and friends go with Philip Briggs from the National Bat Monitoring Programme. Philip explains likely places to find bats. On the tunnel walls, there are “crusts” of sooty deposits from when trains used to pass through, and bats hibernate in spaces where these are peeling away; there are also a number of bat bricks in the walls. Five of us slowly work our way along one side of the tunnel, five along the other. We have to walk carefully as there’s rubble in places, and railway sleepers to negotiate. I realise that my torch, which seemed pretty good at home, is really puny in this vast dark space. It isn’t long before the first bat is found, a Natterer’s, in a bat brick. It’s great to see it, and we gather round to take a look. Soon there’s another discovery, another Natterer’s, this time behind one of the crusts. For long periods we work in silence, the only sounds our footsteps and the rumble of tube trains. I’m at the end of the line of surveyors and at one point think I’ve found a bat not previously spotted. It’s possible to see much more of this bat – the length of its wing, part of its white front and its face. It’s beautiful. Although it turns out that the bat has already been counted, I’m still thrilled.

14:00 - We leave the tunnels, having found six Natterer’s bats in our tunnel – a disappointing number compared to previous years. But I’ve really enjoyed the experience and feel very privileged as you can only enter a bat’s roost if you are accompanied by someone with a special licence.It’s getting pretty cold, despite all the layers, and several of us retire to the local pub to warm up.

(Please note it is illegal to enter a bat hibernation roost unless accompanied by a licenced bat worker)

National Bat Monitoring Programme The Bat Conservation Trust runs a number of nationa and annual surveys through a volunteer network to monitor the status of many of our bat species across a range of habitats. Our surveys form the National Bat Monitoring Programme through which we track changes in bat populations. Monitoring bats is essential as over the last 60 years it would seem that many of our bat species have declined dramatically. The data collected allows us to: •Assess the conservation needs of the UK's 18 species of bat •Identify any rapid declines •Select conservation priorities and inform conservation policy •Ensure limited resources are directed to where they are most needed. If your are interested in finding out more about becoming a NBMP volunteer, please email Felicity Bates (fbates@bats.org.uk).

Winter Slumberland

2010-12-02T03:40:00.000-08:00

Where do bats go in the winter? Kelly Gunnell looks for the answer in Scotland...

Going looking for bats in the winter seems like a fool’s task. It is common knowledge that bats just disappear at this time of year, to magically appear in the spring time. In this information age where we seem to know the answer to almost everything (or at least can find it in a few clicks); it seems absurd that we still don’t know where bats go to hibernate. The standing assumption is that the bats go to underground sites. Yet they are never found in these areas in the numbers to account for their summer population sizes.
Although, it is a rare thing to find hibernating bats, it is possible. While in Scotland recently for the Scottish Bat Worker’s Conference, I set out with local bat experts, Anne Youngman and John Haddow for a little batty adventure.

Our first stop was Doune Castle, made famous in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This medieval castle near Stirling, is made up of grey stone blocks framing a courtyard, with stunning views of snow-capped hills and golden-leaved woodland. In our search for bats I expected us to go down into some dungeon or dark cellar. But no, we found our first hibernating bats tucked into the crevices of the busy, well-lit, entrance tunnel! Why is it that bats never stick to the rules? Someone should give them a manual….
Peering into the jigsaw puzzle stone cracks, I felt a child-like glee. This was just like hunting for brown furry Easter eggs! We found about 6 pipistrelles in the entrance tunnel and adjoining rooms. But it was in one of the side cellars that we got our biggest surprise. Anne spotted two bats in the high arched ceiling and somehow could tell from that distance that they were not pips. At first, Anne and John thought they could be Daubenton’s but eventually decided that they were Natterers. What a treat!

The next stop on our bat adventure was Aberfoyle Tunnel. This is a disused quarry tunnel that John regularly checks for hibernating bats. With hard-hat, head-lamp and wellies I felt very Indiana Jones wading into the cold dark cave. Even with three people scanning the low ceiling for bats, we still nearly missed our bat. Anne’s sharp eyes spotted the lone brown long-eared hanging crystal like from the grey rock. I was thrilled to see how it tucked its ears under its wings so that only the pointy tragus sticks out. John explained that they keep their long ears under their wings to keep them moist. We didn’t find any other bats in the tunnel; apparently January and February are the best time to find hibernating bats there and even then it will only be about a half dozen.
It was a real privilege to see these few lone bats. Thanks to Anne and John for a great Scottish bat adventure.
In the meantime, the mystery of bats in winter awaits another explorer to unravel its secrets...

Kelly Gunnell
Bats and Built Environment Officer

Welsh Project is a Winner!

2010-11-15T08:35:00.000-08:00

BCT’s Wales Bat Officer, Steve Lucas, talks about an award-winning BCT project in South Wales…

Amongst the range of projects that BCT undertakes in Wales to actively promote a greater awareness of bat conservation, one has gained particular recognition - the Urban Bat Survey Project.

The Urban Bat Survey Project aims to record and map bat activity in the urban environment by engaging volunteers new to bat conservation and providing them with the skills needed to take part in these and other survey projects, such as the National Bat Monitoring Programme. In other words – the Urban Bat Survey Project is a jewel in the crown of the Wales Bat Project.

Funded by Environment Wales and the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project started in 2009 under the Count Bat Project taking place in Swansea, Cardiff, Neath and Newport. In Neath, 22 dedicated volunteers took part surveying 11 one kilometre squares. Overall in the project 228 volunteers took part surveying 108 one kilometre squares. Due to the success of the project, this year it was extended to Clwyd in north Wales.

I decided to enter the Neath element of the Urban Bat Survey Project into the Neath Port Talbot Environment Awards under the Action for Wildlife category – and I’m delighted to say that we won! The award was presented by BBC wildlife presenter Iolo Williams in recognition of the outstanding work that this project has done not only to gather new information about bats in the urban landscape, but also to train new volunteers to help deliver actions under the biodiversity action plan. The urban environment is an important area for people to get to engage with bat conservation and we need to ensure that bats are not disadvantaged by increasing urbanisation.

The ceremony was a great night and we all had an enjoyable time. It was a tremendous and fitting accolade for everyone who took part. Those volunteers who were able to be there on the night all felt really proud of this achievement - and so they should! Well done to all of them who continue to make this project such a success. Next year will be the International Year of the Bat so this is a great boost to 2011!

For more information about the Urban Bat Survey Project, you can read the full 2009 survey report.

Steve Lucas
Wales Bat Officer

The work of BCT in Wales is also financially supported by the Countryside Council for Wales. For more information, see BCT's website.

A successful Halloween for bats

2010-11-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

Fundraising & Membership Officer Harriet Henley talks about BCT's Halloween marketing campaign

So here we are in November with the discount pumpkins and rejected Halloween odds and ends being removed from the supermarket shelves and replaced with increasingly premature Christmas-themed aisles!

If you are one of our Facebook fans or Twitter followers, you will have undoubtedly been aware over the last week that Halloween is a big event at the Bat Conservation Trust. Every year we ask ourselves this question; should we do anything in recognition of Halloween and thus acknowledge the link between bats and this annual scare-fest? And every year we come to this conclusion; yes. Of course we should!
Bats are intrinsically associated with Halloween and as silly as this may be it’s not going to change any time soon. Bats are inevitably on people’s minds at this time so we try to use the build-up to Halloween as an opportunity to do some serious myth-busting and encourage people to embrace their furry friends that feature so prominently throughout the festivities. After all, we probably wont be seeing much batty action now until the spring, so why not give bats a good old send-off into hibernation by turning Halloween into a celebration of all things bat!?

That is exactly what some of you bat-fans have done, so I thought I'd share a couple of the things that people have done for bats this Halloween...

We had some fantastic entries to our Halloween competition; “Halloween night in the life of a bat”. There were comedic accounts, diary-esque entries and some impressive poetic feats. The competition was judged by our esteemed panel of expert judges… BCT’s very own Helpline, who decided that the deserved winner was Jennifer Duran from North Carolina in the USA. Jennifer’s fantastic poem describes a bat’s feelings about Halloween night and really echoes our mission this year to get people to celebrate bats at Halloween. (Read Jennifer’s poem)

On Twitter, Laura Thompson showed us some amazing bat lino prints that she’d made (pictured above). Laura says; “The prints are ATC (artist trading card) sized lino prints based on images from the royal mail mammals postage stamps. I basically did a sketch, transferred it to the lino, then cut it out and printed it. The image is a 'test' print and the second image is of the ATC's I made.”

An in another aesthetic twist Martin Roberts, a trainee bat worker in Dorset, launched his second album “Attack of the pipistrelles” at a pub in Bournemouth on Halloween. Martin will be donating all proceeds of the album launch to BCT for us to use for bat conservation – thanks Martin and good luck with the album!

And finally, check out Kazz Larkin's batty pumpkin carving, I think we'll all be following suite next year!

So all in all this Halloween has been a storming success, and people have really gone above and beyond to THINK BAT throughout the festivities. The highlight for me has been the amazing level of interaction and response that we’ve had from all you bat fans on Facebook and Twitter. So a huge thanks to all of you for getting involved this Halloween (and for tolerating our awful batty puns!)

Harriet Henley
Fundraising & Membership Officer

(Currently sitting in the bat cave, desperately trying to convert aforementioned puns into a Christmas theme – apologies in advance!)

Batting on the Fringe - An Orkney blog

2010-10-07T01:17:00.000-07:00

By Anne Youngman

It's the old bat in the Attic here, I’m looking out into a grey sky and reliving fond memories of a recent trip to Orkney where the sun was always shining - even if it was through the rain, the birds singing and the toughest bats braved the chilly nights to reward hardy bat enthusiasts. Oh halcyon days and moonlit nights!

The reason for my trip was to do some training with a group of keen bat people to add to their field skills and keep enthusiasm high. It had been a rather “last minute” invitation and I was rather worried that we’d get no bats and the group would feel demoralised rather than encouraged. I was completely wrong!

Not only does Orkney have the toughest bats in the UK, I believe it has the hardiest bat people! We were out for three evenings (wrapped in hats, scarves, gloves, fleeces and thermals) and got bats two out of the three nights). And these weren’t just “ordinary bats” i.e. 45kHz pipistrelles, we got (cue the deep sultry voice, music and long pause ........) Nathusius’ pipistrelle!!

The bat was recorded by Effy Everis who thought it sounded rather low and slow and had a sneaking, tingling suspicion it was something different. She was right. It was confirmed as Nathusius’ by a panel of bat–boffins and was the cause of several celebrations in bat circles. Effy has recorded other tantalising bat sounds, not like typical 45kHz pipistrelle calls so watch this space for an update on the unexpected delights of batting in Orkney.
It really was a wonderful trip. I have lovely memories of a full moon so bright we cast shadows as we walked through the woods at night, of starlings singing under the wooden jetty of Stromness harbour, rainbows and seals singing sad songs and of an ever changing sky. If you’ve never been to Orkney go there and take your bat detector with you!

Anne Youngman (pining for sunlight, open skies and the long lines of the Orkney landscapes)

Holy mackerel bat woman – its bats in the belfry!

2010-09-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

Anne Youngman’s bat blog

Batty old woman here, reporting from the attic on a brilliantly batty talk and walk that was held at Dunblane Cathedral on Saturday 18th September.

The event was organised by Historic Scotland’s very own Bat Woman; Natalie Taylor (also known fondly as Nat-the-Bat to her friends). I was “Robin” her beautiful assistant (Ha Ha).

Flocks of Dunblane folk gathered at the cathedral for a bit of an evening adventure. Their first task was a hunt to find the Cathedral’s own resident bat. Ben (only 9) found the carved bat miserichord under one of the choir stalls. It’s a rather strange bat, more like a cat with wings. Why it’s there and what its significance is, is a complete mystery (But if YOU know the explanation I’d love to hear it!)

Once the cat-bat had been located we returned to our pews. Natalie gave a lively talk with help from willing volunteers in the audience.
We were wowed by the wingspan of the Kalong (it really is long!) and our hearts melted at the sweet name of the Bumble bee bats.
We had fun testing our bat detectors with a sonic cat scarer and we were warned that our pipistrelles would make “rude raspberries” as feeding buzzes. Then just before venturing out into the night we met a very special guest “squeaker”; Catriona McBat.

Catriona is a pipistrelle bat who was found in the Dundee Library (We believe in the Natural History section!). She’d been on a “health farm holiday “ in Dunblane, i.e. sleeping all day and stuffing her face with mealworms all night, and was due to be released outside the library in a few nights time. She tried to tell us all about her adventures but sadly no one understood her squeaks! With Catriona safely tucked back in her box we all flitted out into the night, bat detectors at the ready.

We were very lucky as the weather stayed dry and despite the cool temperature there were plenty of bats around. We heard rude raspberries, wet slappies and grumbling Geiger counter noises - and that was just from the detectors! From the humans there were lots of squeaks of excitement and general bat chat.

When things seemed quiet we made a “hotspot” by standing close together. This attracts insects into the warm air above our heads and seemed to be a way of attracting the bats to come in closer too.
It was such a good night we’ve decided to do it all again next year! Watch this space!

Over and out,

Anne Youngman
The old bat in the Attic, Scottish churches House, Dunblane.

The bat care network:

Just like Catriona McBat, hundreds of bats find themselves injured or grounded and lost away from their roosts every year. For the majority, their chances of survival depend on the goodwill of members of the public and the hard work and dedication of volunteer bat carers.

Thanks to these volunteers, BCT is able to coordinate a bat care network across the UK. There are currently just over 300 bat carers in the network; some are extremely experienced and run bat hospitals, others do small scale bat care and some will only act as an “ambulance driver” or first aid help, preferring to pass bats on to more experienced carers where necessary. BCT also has contact details for a few wildlife hospitals who take in bats on a regular basis, particularly in areas where there are very few bat carers.

In areas where there are no bat carers available, callers have to be advised to take the bats directly to local vets, who can call BCT for information if they are not familiar with bats. There are some counties and areas where there are very few or no contacts and we are therefore always in need of new carers.

If your are interested in finding out more about becoming a bat carer, please email Xenia Snowman (xsnowman@bats.org.uk).

If you find a grounded or injured bat, please call the National Bat Helpline on 0845 1300 228 and we will provide you with details of any bat carers in your local area.

The National Bat Conference: A first-timer’s perspective

2010-09-21T07:41:00.000-07:00

By Kelly Gunnell, Bats and Built Environment Officer

It was a tough decision to make: a week’s windsurfing in Tiree or a chance to attend my first National Bat Conference? Well, of course I chose to go to the Bat Conference and I have no regrets!

As a first-timer to the conference, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The stories from previous years had really built up my expectations and the buzz in the office gearing up to it certainly added to the excitement. When the Friday came along, there was the usual hive of activity involved in trying to get things set-up. Lots of BCT staff (and thus equipment) had been delayed in traffic which meant that the membership stand and even aspects of the registration desk was a last-minute scramble. Luckily we all handled it with cool suave and I don’t think anyone noticed (right?).

The Talks...

As BCT organises and runs the conference not all BCT staff get to see many of the talks presented. However, as the new Built Environment Officer for BCT, I had a keen interest in many of the talks and was lucky enough to see most of the programme (in return I had to do a lot of microphone duty, but that is a small price to pay!). All of the speakers did a great job and the range and diversity of topics kept the audience interested and awake - despite the evenings being spent discussing bats (and drinking) long into the night!

The first talk, on the long-term bat monitoring project in Finemere Wood, set the bar high. I was most interested to hear that Daubenton’s, Brown Long-eared and Natterer’s seem to prefer shady roosts, whereas Pipistrelle’s will go for sunny and exposed bat boxes.

Roger Ransome’s presentation on his ten years’ worth of involvement on the Combe Down Stabilisation Project was fascinating. The amount of time and effort that has gone into the project is staggering. It was good to hear about the importance of ventilation for bat hibernation. I also learnt that foam concrete takes an amazing 6 months to cool.

It was a real eye-opener to learn about Turkey’s extensive cave systems from Emrah Coraman. Both the caves and the bats are under threat from cave-tourism and it was fascinating to hear how Emrah and his colleagues are tackling the problem. This talk was complimented by Dave Anderson’s talk on Sunday, which described the great lengths he has gone to discover and uncover caves in East Lancashire.

One of my favourite talks was by Emma Rigby which used Social Network Analysis to study the population ecology of Daubenton’s bats. Not surprisingly it was found that bats that roost together are almost exclusively found associating with each other during foraging.

There were two talks that looked at bat activity in the urban environment. James Hale showed how key landscape variables could be used to predict bat activity in Birmingham. He found that the NSL guild activity is highest where there is: lots of water within 100-200m; lots of natural landscape within 1000m; and low levels of buildings within 1000m. For common and soprano pips there was a strong relationship with total connectivity. Cath Laing used GIS tools to show that in Brighton bats are more likely to occur in areas with bigger gardens. Larger gardens are more likely to have greater insect assemblages because of the bigger trees. However, bat activity was not associated with street trees. This raises interesting questions for urban greening projects.

Workshops and dancing the night away...

The conference wasn’t all talks though. The workshops gave the participants a chance to engage more fully on a range of topics from Bat Identification to Sound analysis, Planning, Churches, Mitigation and even Wildlife Drawing. I did hear there was even a gate-crasher to the conference that came just for the Wind Turbine workshop!

No one could complain that the Conference Dinner was anything except entertaining. The very pink berry pyramid raised the odd eyebrow, the wine flowed pretty freely, Richard Crompton (one of BCT’s trustee we said goodbye to this weekend) did the rounds in his new Batman dressing gown and the Ceilidh had both participants and non-participants in stitches of laughter. After much socialising and networking, I made it to bed about 1:30am, unlike some energetic individuals who only stumbled to bed after 4am! I didn’t envy them on Sunday.

Although I have no previous experience to compare it to, it was still in my opinion a thoroughly successful National Bat Conference. I’m sure we are all glad for the lil’ break until the next one though!

Bats thriving at Threave as first Bat Reserve opens

2010-08-31T05:51:00.000-07:00

Anne Youngman, Scottish Bat Officer shows us round the first bat reserve in the UK

On Thursday 26th August the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) opened the first ever Bat reserve!!! Threave has at least 7 out of the 9 bat species that occur in Scotland and has to be one of the most beautiful places in Scotland to see bats. I was there at the launch and it was brilliantly batty. NTS have a “bat mobile”, a trailer which opens up into a portable bat display, complete with buttons to press, funky bat detector sounds and other night time noises. Everyone, adults and children enjoyed listening to the different sounds for each bat species.

The rangers took us around a “bat trail” showing us by day the best places to see and hear bats at night. In the near future visitors to Threave gardens will be able to borrow a bat detector and walk the routes themselves at dusk. There are two bat trails to explore.

Threave will also be used as a centre for bat studies. So any students who have an idea for a bat project – wing your way to Threave, it’s the place to hang out.

Fruit bats head west!

2010-06-03T06:01:00.000-07:00

Helpline Officer Harriet Henley discusses how BCT’s Bat Helpline in the UK was involved in an exciting discovery in the world of Egyptian fruit bats…

As well as reassuring people who are nervous about bats, and giving members of the public and professional’s information and advice, working on the Bat Helpline also gives us a great opportunity to hear first hand people’s joy upon finding out that they share their home with these amazing creatures. In some cases we even get the privilege of being privy to some really interesting discoveries. Without a doubt, my favourite of these instances came about from an email sent to us in November last year, which ended up making a significant contribution to international fruit bat research!

It all began when I received an email from Iain, a British Citizen living in Fethiye, Turkey. He had managed to take a photo of a bat, which he had been aware of roosting in the roof of his apartment for a number of years, but that he had never before seen in the daylight. He wondered if we might be able to identify it for him.

Well, at BCT we love this kind of enquiry! The recipient of the photograph forwards it around to all staff with a caption along the lines of “prizes for the first correct identification of this bat!” and is then bombarded with replies containing peoples’ various suggestions. In this case, the responses from the BCT staff were unanimous; Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus).

I emailed Iain with the verdict and explained that although we don’t generally have “batty” contacts outside of the UK, we did know of one researcher from the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Bogazici University in Istanbul, who he may wish to contact for further information.

Now this is where things got interesting… on being contacted by Iain, our Turkish researcher contact forwarded the information to his colleagues in the Czech Republic, with whom he was studying Rousettus bats. Their response was one of extreme excitement…

“Great! It is really Rousettus! For me personally and the international team associated with the research project on the current status and history of the species in the Mediterranean and Middle East (the only resident population of fruit bats beyond limits of tropes) this is indeed big news, refining the range of the species in an essential way.”

A bit of background information is I think required at this point…

The species has a wide, but patchy distribution, ranging across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, and in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Turkey and Cyprus. Up until this point in the proceedings, the westernmost record of this species in Turkey (which corresponds to the most northwest margin of the global distribution of the Egyptian fruit bat) was Antalya. Fethiye is a good 200 km west of Antalya, which means…(wait for it!)…

Iain’s record of Egyptian fruit bats roosting in Fethiye represents BY FAR the most western marginal point of distribution of the species discovered to date!! And what’s more, his record spans several years indicating that this is an established roost!

Big news in the fruit bat world, and a great discovery to come via the BCT office!

As the Bat Helpline finished playing its part in the story arrangements were being made for one of the Rousettus research team to actually visit Fethiye to try and monitor the roost and determine whether it could be a satellite roost for a much larger colony that may be roosting nearby, so far undetected.

Discoveries of international importance only come about every once in a while on the Bat Helpline, but everyday the we have the fantastic opportunity to be part of new discoveries closer to home. It may be guiding a member of the public as they rescue a bat for the first time, or converting someone into a bat-lover and opening their eyes to the wonderful world of bats, or speaking to a householder who has discovered a bat roost in their home.

I hope this tale of far away bats has brought a smile to your face, as reliving the episode has to mine.

Long live bats, mega and micro!!

Harriet Henley
Helpline Officer
The Batcave

Rousettus Facts:

• Egyptian fruit bats usually roost in caves, unlike other tree-dwelling fruit bats.
• They roost in numbers from 2 or 3 to 2,000 individuals!
• Bats belonging to the genus Rousettus are the only fruit bats that use echolocation, and theirs is the only echolocation audible to human ears.

If you need help with a bat or advice about bats and their roosts, please call the BCT Helpline on 0845 1300 228.

Photo: Egyptian fruit bat. Courtesy of Iain McCulloch

Scottish Easter surprise!

2010-04-21T01:32:00.000-07:00

Leisler's bat. Photo courtesy of Hugh Clark

Anne Youngman – BCT’s Scottish Bat Officer (and first time blogger!) shares a rare batty discovery in the North East of Scotland

I just had the MOST exciting Easter ever. No Easter bunnies for me but bats instead. Not just any old bat, I’ve just seen my first ever Leisler’s bat. For anyone who can’t quite understand my excitement hang in there and I’ll explain……

Leisler’s bats are pretty rare in Britain, they can be found in the midlands and the south of England and if you look VERY HARD and are VERY LUCKY you might find some in Dumfries and Galloway (you’d then throw a party with all your batty friends to celebrate). This bat was found near Nairn on the North East coast of Scotland. Nairn is a lovely place for a seaside holiday but its hundreds of miles away from what bat people think of as “Leisler’s territory”.

The bat was found on someone’s settee. Luckily the white settee cover made it obvious; otherwise the brown bat on the brown settee might have been a flat brown ex-bat on a brown settee.

More good luck - the lady who found it had previous experience of bats and knew that this was too big to be a pipistrelle (the bat you are most likely to find in your house). She thought it was a noctule bat.

Noctules are big, sleek, gingery bats. They are closely related to Leisler’s. Finding a Noctule that far north would also be highly unusual and guaranteed to get bat workers in a flap of excitement.

She had the presence of mind to contact a local bat person to ask if anyone wanted to see the bat before it was released. By a process of “jungle drums” (well email actually) the message was relayed to bat worker Mick Canham who lives near Nairn and Mick went out to see the bat. He got a brilliant surprise...

He found a big bat, but instead of a big sleek bat this one looked rather windswept and slightly straggly. It was not a noctule but something even more amazing, it was a Leisler’s!

It’s a female, in good health and with a hearty appetite. (Mick has been feeding her up with mealworms which she munches with great gusto and obvious relish)

What it was doing in Nairn is a complete mystery. We have speculated (wildly) on what the explanation might be and come up with some batty theories:
1. Theory 1 - The bat “hitched” a lift from Ireland or South West Scotland at some time in the past and has been hanging out locally since. It was hibernating in the house and woke up after a change in the weather, got itself into the living space of the house, sat down (perhaps to watch TV?) and was found on the settee.
2. Theory 2 - There is a very small population living somewhere near Nairn (this seems very unlikely but a Swedish bat worker reported hearing Leisler’s bats with a bat detector near Aberdeen years ago)
3. Theory 3 - Something else equally unlikely occurred - If only the bat could tell us!

So what happens next in this batty story ……?

The bat will be released back to the wild once she has a good weight, good weather and has shown she can fly strongly. In the meantime she seems to be enjoying her winter holiday in Nairn, munching on mealworms and generally taking life easy.

Mick will be roaming around the Nairn countryside with a bat detector stuck to his ear in the hope of finding a local colony that has been undiscovered until now.

And for me – I’ve learned that where ever bats are concerned – expect the unexpected.

Anne Youngman
Old Bat
The Attic
Scottish churches house.

About the Scottish Bat Project
The Scottish Bat Project started in April 2003 and aims to: promote greater awareness of bats in Scotland; enable more people in Scotland to appreciate and enjoy bats and get involved in bat conservation; develop the network and activities of Scottish Bat Groups and run a number of conservation projects.
About Leisler’s bat

To find about more about the Leisler’s bat and other UK bat species visit the BCT website www.bats.org.uk/pages/uk_bat_species.html

What to do if you find a bat in your house?
A bat flying in a room is looking for a way out!
The Bat Conservation Trust runs the national Bat Helpline to information to the public about bats. If you need help, call the Bat Helpline - 0845 1300 228

Bats have a very sophisticated system for finding their way around in the dark, but despite this, some do end up getting trapped inside buildings. This happens most often between mid-July and mid-August when baby bats are learning to fly, and they are inexperienced in using their newly developed echolocation skills.
This means that when they are finding their way back to the roost after hunting they might crawl through the wrong gap or through an open window, especially if this window is beneath the roost entrance; they will then find themselves inside the house rather than in the roof.
Bats are very small and need only a very small space in order to gain access, so sometimes it can be very hard to tell how a bat got in.

The best course of action is to close the door to the room, and to open the windows to the outside as widely as possible, dim the lights and give the bat the chance to find its own way out.
Bats navigate by sending out high-pitched sounds and listening for the echoes so the bat should soon detect any opening that leads out of the room. If it does not find its way out it will roost somewhere in the room when it becomes light, and will appear again the following evening at dusk.
If you wish to search the room to ensure the bat has gone, the best places to look are in the folds of curtains and behind picture frames and other places that are high up and where the bat can roost out of the light. However, bats have been found hanging from the tassles at the bottom of an arm chair, so do check at a lower level as well.

NEVER try to catch a flying bat - you are likely to injure it severely

Sometimes young bats, which are inexperienced flyers, will become exhausted before finding the way out. They may try to land on a wall or curtains, or they may crash land on furniture or the floor. In this case, you should contain the bat, and then release it in the evening.

No hibernating for the Bat Helpline

2010-03-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

Helpline Officer Harriet Henley shares her insights into her first winter on the BCT Bat Helpline…

Over the winter months I have noticed that there is one question that I hear more than any other when people ask me about my job… What do you do in the winter while all the bats are hibernating?

Well, I’m glad you asked!

This winter was my first as a member of the Bat Helpline team, and as the long summer months filled with endless phone calls about grounded bats, baby bats, catted bats and a plethora of other batty issues drew to a close, I admit that I began to look forward to autumn when the phone would inevitably stop ringing and things on the Bat Helpline would calm down. Voicing this feeling to my longer-serving colleagues, I was met with knowing smiles. Little did I know the hard work was only just beginning...

For starters, I am still waiting for the phone to stop ringing! Granted the sheer volume of calls is significantly smaller during the winter, but so is the Bat Helpline team.

Once the summer draws to a close and we say goodbye to the seasonal staff, we begin to readjust to a smaller team and attack the inevitable pile of advice letters that need writing.
As well as this, we begin to notice the subjects of phone calls change with the weather. People want loft insulation installed before Christmas, cluster flies set about their annual rampage, and calls start to come in from people discovering bats hibernating in some very odd places; a woodpile, an umbrella, a box of Christmas decorations!
There are hoards of planning and development queries, lots of people looking for consultants, and plenty of churches to give bat-related advice to.

And then there is the phone call that all Helpliner’s dread; “I’ve just been stripping a roof and have found bats hibernating under the tiles…” Those ones are a constant throughout the winter, and require a calm head, good advice, and a few urgent phone calls to local bat workers!

But after all that, the letters get written, the visits get organised and suddenly it’s March and we’re keenly awaiting the arrival of the new seasonal Bat Helpline staff, breath baited in anticipation of another busy summer saving bats.

Helpline Highlight:

One of the best experiences we've had on the Bat Helpline this year has been our recent visit to Essex to see bat workers Roger and Sylvia Jiggins. Roger and Sylvia took us around three churches and three barns to give us a better idea of the structure of these buildings, and how they can be used by bats. The day was a huge success, a good time was had by all and we were able to learn a great deal about bat roosts in these buildings, which will be an immense help when writing advice letters for these types of visits in the future.

Bat Helpline stats:

• The BCT Bat Helpline takes an average of 10,000 calls per year
• The busiest day of 2010 so far has been the 26th January, when 41 calls were taken
• Of calls taken in 2010 the most frequently raised issue has been bats, planning and development
• Since 1 January 2010, the Bat Helpline has organised 275 roost visits for members of the public who require advice about a roost or are carrying out building work or pest control that may affect a roost

On trial for bat crimes

2009-10-20T05:53:00.000-07:00

This month has seen two important bat crime cases come to court following the hard work of police wildlife crime officers in opposite corners of England and Wales. Dr Kate Barlow, Investigations Officer here at the Bat Conservation Trust explains how she has been involved.

The first case saw Mr. Ayob Bhailok, a solicitor from Preston in Lancashire, found guilty of two charges of destruction of bat roosts in Prestatyn Magistrates Court, North Wales. He was given a 6 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2000 costs. The verdict was delivered at the end of the two day trial but was the culmination of a complex investigation carried out by North Wales Police and particularly by wildlife crime officer Sgt Rob Taylor. I got involved to help explain to the court the impact these crimes had on bat populations.

Mr. Bhailok was working as a consultant for Freemont (Denbigh) Ltd who wanted to develop the old North Wales hospital site, which contains a number of Grade II listed buildings. Denbighshire County Council granted outline planning permission for the site in 2006 which included a requirement for bat surveys to be completed. The initial bat survey was carried out and identified a number of bat roosts in the complex of buildings with roosts of one of Britain’s rarest bats the lesser horseshoe bat and brown long-eared bats in the former Bryn Golau ward of the hospital. Then in 2008 the Bryn Golau ward building was demolished. Despite the bat survey report stating that the building was home to a possible maternity roost site for lesser horseshoe bats and that Freemont (Denbigh) Ltd would need to obtain a license from the Welsh Assembly Government before any buildings containing bat roosts could be demolished. The licence was never obtained.

Sgt Rob Taylor discovered a partly demolished building, and bats had to be rescued and relocate to another building with help from a local batworker. Work on the development at North Wales Hospital stopped last November when the bat offence was detected and no work has been able to go ahead on the site since.

As part of the investigation, Sgt Rob Taylor asked me to provide a statement explaining the impact of the destruction of the roosts on the populations of the two species involved. We have been providing these statements for cases that reach the courts in recent months and they give background information on the bat species and populations involved to the Magistrates, who cannot be expected to be bat experts.

After a long investigation by Sgt Rob Taylor, Mr. Bhailok was charged with destruction of the two roosts in the Bryn Golau ward building. He denied the charges, arguing that he had passed on planning issues at the site to a number of consultants to sort out. Following the trial, District Judge Andrew Shaw said that Mr. Bhailok was responsible for giving the go ahead for demolition works to start on the Byrn Golau building, and found him guilty of the charges.

A week later Essex police called to let me know of another bat prosecution. Two companies, Hills Construction and North East Demolition were found guilty of destruction of a bat roost at Colchester Magistrates court last week and fined £2000 and £1500 respectively. A small barn was identified to have a brown long-eared bat roost in it during a bat survey of 2006 and the report from the survey recommended that a licence would be required. The surveyor then noticed in 2008 that the barn had been demolished and after checking found out no licence had been obtained. He reported it to Essex police who investigated and charged the two companies, the first were developing the barn and the second carried out the actual demolition.

With more bat crime cases reaching court it shows that bat crime is being taken seriously and will hopefully prevent crimes happening in the future.

What is bat crime?
Bats suffer persecution (harassment and cruel treatment) for various reasons. The persecution may be deliberate or reckless (e.g. continuing with roofing work even though bats have been uncovered) or may be due to a lack of awareness of bats and the places they live in (e.g. entombing bats in walls while re-pointing stonework.

Some of the problems bats may encounter include injury or death, loss of roosts or disturbance of bats for example when they are feeding young. Bats are especially vulnerable while females are pregnant or looking after young bats, and both males and females are vulnerable during winter hibernation.

Why are bats a wildlife crime priority?
Numbers of British bats have declined rapidly over the last few decades; as a result all bats and their roosts are now protected across the UK. Without protection this decline would continue. Wildlife crimes affecting bats have devastating consequences for bat populations either directly through killing of bats, or indirectly by removing essential roosts used by the bats. The law is there to protect bats and roosts but NOT to stop anything ever happening at a roost. It is designed so that bats must be taken into account when work needs to be carried out, and that any work that is done is completed in a way that causes the least disturbance to the bats, reduces the chance of injury and safeguards the availability of roosts.

What can I do if I suspect a bat crime?
If you suspect a bat crime, please report it.
DO:
Making notes (mental or written) at a scene, remember:
What is happening?
Who is involved?
Where – note the location precisely
When – note date and time.
Take photos (with camera, video or mobile phone) if you think it is likely that evidence may be removed, and only if it is safe to do so
Contact your local police station immediately. Explain that you think a wildlife crime is being committed and mention ‘Operation Bat’. This is the standard operating procedure for police dealing with bat-related crimes. Ensure you get an incident number from the police.
Let us know by emailing investigations@bats.org.uk or completing the incident report form on our website . You can also report incidents directly to us in this way, or contact the Helpline 0845 1300228.

DO NOT:
- Directly approach suspects, leave that to the police
- Pick up any bats at a site. Contact the Bat Conservation Trust for further advice on what to do with grounded, injured or dead bats either by calling the Helpline 0845 1300228 or from our website:

Teeing off for bats

2009-09-01T03:38:00.000-07:00

The team hard at work. All images (c) Anne Youngman.

On Saturday 25th July, 2009, a band of 12 batty disciples (and two trainee bat sniffer dogs) met to survey Craigie Hill Golf Course in Scotland for the Perth City Bats Project, writes Anne Youngman, Scottish Bat Officer.

The weather was perfect; warm and dry and a moderate to slight breeze prevented overheating on the uphill climb. So armed with bat detectors, recording forms, luminescent jackets and torches - and fortified by (mini) Mars Bars we strode purposefully up the steep slopes of Craigie Hill.

The band split into three teams, (imaginatively named Teams One, Two and Three). Each team surveyed a different strip of the golf course. Teams started at the southern boundary and walked over a small hill and down the steeper slopes of the golf course to its northern boundary.

Team One had something to smile about straight away, their first survey spot appeared to be a blessed place with bat activity.

Team Two however got slightly lost on the way up hill. But fear not, they were guided back to their correct starting point by the waving of luminescent jackets and use of the world’s loudest dog whistle.

Team Three clearly had the added advantage with Paddy, the dog with X-ray eyes, helping them to look out for bats.

Sunset was at 9:37pm. The survey started at 10:00pm and the first bat spotted (by Team Two) was promptly after at 9:55pm.

Bat detectors at the ready, surveyors scoured the horizon for bats. The views over Perth were fantastic - almost a complete 360 degree panorama and while we were all taking in the smell of honeysuckle and enjoying watching and listening to the bats, Paddy the dog however, was smelling fox scent – well he was a trainee after all!

The survey finished at around 10:40pm with all three survey teams getting to see and hear bats. I’m happy to report no surveyors were lost in undergrowth or otherwise fell by the wayside and confess that in our newly acquired Bat-nerdiness, we counted the number of bats we saw even though this was not needed for the survey!

Team One got mostly 55khz pipistrelles, some 45’s and a mystery silent bat (which we decide to count as a possible brown long-eared) Teams Two and Three got mostly 45 kHz pipistrelles and one 55kHz pipistrelle. Other wildlife bonuses spotted were a fox and a toad.

Perth City Bats Project background

Grant aided by Awards for All and the SITA Trust, the Perth City Bat Project is the brainchild of Niall Lobley from Perth and Kinross Council Ranger service and Anne Youngman, Scottish Bat Officer of Bat Conservation Trust.

The aims of the project include:
•Raising awareness of bats in Perth
•Enabling volunteers to get involved in bat surveys
•Producing a map of “bat hotspots” within the city along with recommendations for maintaining and enhancing the city’s bat habitat.

A team of more than 40 volunteers have been given training and loaned bat detectors and recording equipment to carry out their surveys in the city in a patchwork of 1km squares. The general public is also able to add to the survey by sending their records of bat sightings to a Bat Map page on the Perth and Kinross Council website. Perth Bat Group will also be carrying out technical surveys to map bats in proximity to roads.

Bangkok bat

2009-08-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

BCT’s global reach continues to grow. Our Helpline Supervisor, Gill Sanders(right), recently received an email from someone in Bangkok who needed advice about a bat they had rescued – and there is the happy ending!

I received a call from a woman called Chompoonuj who had found a bat on a ground in her building in Bangkok, Thailand.

As there was no rehabilitation centre nearby that she knew of and the vet was about 10 km away (and even then she felt the vet wouldn’t have been a bat expert), she emailed the BCT helpline.

When I spoke with her she explained that she had placed the bat into her shoe box, with a shallow dish of water combined with 10% carrot juice, a ripe banana and a piece of cloth at a corner. I asked her to put some gloves on and check it for injuries. She did this and reported no physical injuries, although she said it did seem to be frightened; which is not unusual.

Both wings spread out fine but only one at a time and there was a piece of dried fruit (half an inch) hanging on its mouth which she pulled out. The bat measured about two and a half inches long with a tail about one inch and a furry body but a hairless face.

I emailed her to let her know that what she was doing seemed in line with the advice we give out for short-term caring but from her description I couldn’t identify which species of bat it was. If it was eating fruit then my first instinct was to think it was a fruit bat but as they are larger than the description then this didn’t seem a possibility. I did, however, suggest that if it wasn’t eating the dried fruit then she should try to feed it with very small amounts of wet cat or dog food. And, after this, if the bat appeared healthy and active, then she should try to release it at dusk, as close as possible to where she found it.

I also advised that a small number of bats carry a rabies virus, so if she should continue to handle it always wear gloves, to make sure you she is not bitten or scratched.

Luckily I heard back from Chompoonuj later that day to tell me the good news. After 10pm, she had turned all the lights off and waited for the bat to emerge. Within five minutes, after complete darkness, the little bat became instantly active and climbed from the box toward the window edge....about a foot (it was found on the eight floor of their building, so we tried to release it from the next closest window) At the edge of the window it stopped, spread its wings, and ...wow...flew into the night.

Chompoonuj said it was a beautiful sight to watch and was very grateful for all my help with the little fellow.

A brilliant batty weekend

2009-07-31T02:00:00.000-07:00

Me helping out at the bat box building. (c) BCT

Last weekend I helped to organise the Bat Weekend at the Natural History Museum , writes BCT’s Count Bat Project Regional Officer, Ed Santry.

The event was a result of all the hard work of staff and volunteers at the Natural History Museum, Open Air Laboratories (a Big Lottery Fund initiative) and the London Bat Group.

It was a great day out for all the family and I am happy to say that we seem to have lots of fans out there who came along to see the BCT team and of course the bats. In fact, nearly 1000 visitors came along over the weekend and got to be part of the fun which included the batty arts and crafts tent where kids (and some adults – including BCT staff, ahem!!!) created bat hats, masks, and got their face painted. We also held bat box building sessions and visitors got the chance to see some bats up close.

Our lovely trustee, Kate Jones, also brought along some ‘bat ears’ for children and adults alike to have a play with. They mimicked the actions of a bat echolocating whilst flying at night, using sonar sound to help the people trying them out to get around without any sight (see photo). These provided much amusement to those watching people try and not bump into things…it just goes to show how clever bats really are!

I myself undertook the bat box sessions, which were great fun and there seemed to be some really good craftsmen and women amongst the future generations. Most people even managed to put them together without help from their parents (which is more than Sarah and Steve from our Communication’s Department did on their test run last week!). Everyone also got to take home their boxes to put them up and help encourage bats into their gardens.

But of course, the stars of the weekend as we suspected, were Jenny Clark from the Sussex Bat Hospital and her bats. Jenny kindly brought along nearly all of the ten species which can be found in the London area. As always, with her knowledge and wonderful presenting skills, Jenny made even the most skeptical of people bat lovers by the time they had been into the Wildlife Shed to visit her and see the bats up close.

It was such an eventful weekend and on the Saturday afternoon, we had London Tonight come down and film some bat box building and Jenny with her bats. I sneakily managed to avoid being filmed on camera, but all the people squeezed in the Wildlife Shed helped highlight the importance people are placing on wildlife conservation nowadays and the interest from the general public in bats– which is great news for us all here at BCT!

BCT staff were out in full force for the festivities. Our own Communications Officer, Sarah Wallace even got into the spirit of things by donning her Batgirl outfit on the Sunday to try and chivvy people along to the Wildlife Garden (where all the fun took place). She was seen swooping around the Garden throughout the day guiding people along to all the different activities we’d put on.

Our Education Officer, Shirley Thompson and Ken and Zoe Greenway from the Friends of Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, gave inspiring discussions as part of the Natural History Museum’s Nature Live talks about bats. They covered topics such as where bats live, what they eat and the best time and places to go bat watching.

Most importantly though, aside from all the excitement of course, the weekend also provided the opportunity for our team here at BCT to reach out to the public about bat conservation and talk to them about the importance of helping us to monitor bats and how they can get involved through our Sunrise/Sunset Survey. Aimed at beginners, the surveys couldn’t be easier. The Sunset Survey simply asks members of the public to spend the evening in their garden and watch out for any bats that fly past. Record how many bats they see, which species they are (if known) and, most importantly, which direction they are flying from. The Sunrise Survey involves going out just before dawn to look for bats swarming before they return to their roost. All information then goes into our National Bat Monitoring Programme.

All in all it was wonderful weekend and, as with many of these sorts of events, it was great to see the support from bat fans and the general public alike. Seeing the change in people’s perception of bats - particularly when they see how small and cute they really are – is a real positive experience and spreads the word of the importance of these unique mammals.

Here’s to many more successful events in the future!

Twins?

2009-07-28T01:32:00.000-07:00

The twins with mum. (c) P and M Grimsey.

We have a guest blog this week by our Out of Hours volunteers, Peter and Margaret Grimsey who had a rather interesting batty experience recently.

On the morning of the 29th June, we received a call from Martin Hoare at Stonor Park, to say that they had found a grounded mother bat with two babies. The idea seemed highly unlikely, but so was finding three grounded bats together, so we set off to investigate.

Stonor is one of England’s oldest manor houses. It has been owned by the same family for 850 years and is situated in beautiful parkland with a freely roaming deer herd. When we arrived, the inside of the house was cool, despite the day already getting gradually hotter; two metre thick walls tend not to warm up too quickly!

We found the three bats. All were common pipistrelles with one confirmed lactating female. Martin explained that certain doors of the old house tended to leak during wet weather and it was the practice of the housekeeping staff to put an old towel across the bottom to soak up the water. This morning the housekeeper had spotted the bats just before shaking the towel outside. With admirable quick thinking, she had carefully collected the brood in the towel and found a box to keep them in.

Once home, we always allow the bats to settle before making a full examination. However, that evening it did quickly become apparent that at least one of the bats was a baby (it was suckling mum!).
Over the course of that evening and the following morning, we gave mum wax worm innards, which she took immediately. The bat who wasn’t suckling took Esbilac milk formula from a paint brush, and both “babies” had a few licks of a wax worm innard.

On 1st July we examined and weighed all three:

Pip 45 Female, lactating, weight - 5gms, forearm - 32.7mm
Pip 45 Female, fully furred, weight - 3.8gms, forearm - 27.3mm
Pip 45 Male, fully furred, weight - 4.4gms, forearm - 29.1mm

At this point, we wondered whether the trio was actually a mum with female offspring and a male companion. However, over the following days, we got into the routine of supplement feeding which ever juvenile was not being suckled, and discovered that she was, in fact, suckling them both.

For the next few days we were leaving 20 worms for them each night and morning. The trio were disposing of up to 40 worms in 24 hours. So the juveniles were clearly feeding themselves.

By July 7th, all of the bats had shown signs of improved health and had increased in weight and measurements of their forearms. By the 10th July, the bats were self-sufficient and we had seen them all flying in their cage so we arranged with Martin to return to Stonor and release them. The weather, which had recently been wet and windy, looked like staying fine.

We had been thinking for some time how best to achieve release as we did not want mum to get separated from the juveniles. Clearly, the bat held at arms length method could not be used, and we also felt that an open box, put high up with the bats in, would be risky, as one bat might panic and fly out before the others were ready.

Eventually we made up a soft pocket from the hood off a body warmer. Our plan was to place the bats inside and then position the pocket in a suitable release spot. The bats would be warm and they could creep out in their own time after they, or at least mum, had the chance to recognise the surroundings. (We are fairly convinced, from observations made during previous bat releases, that bats can recognise the smell of an area.)

Martin met us and we decided to put the bats on a high wall under an overhanging fig tree. The bats were carefully lifted off their hot water bottle and placed on the wall in their cosy pouch at about 9pm. After seeing several faces peeping out of the pouch we watched mum fly off after about half an hour. We watched until it got too dark and mum returned several times calling to the babies, and we heard them respond. We were also able to pick up mum’s feeding busses as she over flew us. But it was too dark to see and the babies did not seem to have flown.

The following morning Martin rang us to say he had been out early to check and the pouch was still in position and dry under the fig and the bats had gone. We can only assume from this that the release had been a success.

We are very grateful to Stonor Park and Martin and Caroline Hoare for their help and care for the bats, and for giving us the chance to experience what we feel to be a very rare bat event.

An Eastern experience for BCT

2009-06-05T01:15:00.000-07:00

Xenia Snowman

We are all aware that bats come from all over the world but even our helpline team were shocked when they recieved a call from China last week!

A lady called our UK helpline looking for some basic bat care advice as she had come across a bat (the species was not identified) in her pool. The poor little mite was soaked through so the lady tried to warm it up (all with gloves on of course!) and give him some water before releasing it later that night. Unfortunately when she went to check on it the next day the bat had stayed put; it was obviously fond of it’s new home!

The lady called back the next day, explaining the situation and again spoke to our helpline staff who advised her to take the bat into her local British vet. Unfortunately the vet was unable to assist – even though our dedicated team of helpers even went so far as to email the vet in China and explain the most likely ailments and procedure in getting it back to health as well as send over a copy of BCT’s bat care guidelines.

Luckily though, our experienced helpline advisor Xenia Snowman was there to step in and help out and ultimately save this little bat’s life.

Although not normal practice as we much prefer bat carers and vets to handle these matters, Xenia talked the lady through how to examine the bat for possible injuries, the best ways and amounts and foods to feed it, when to give it water, how warm it should be, how to let it hang effectively and therefore groom itself, and examine it for broken bones, wing tears etc. She also asked her to remove any parasites it may have (as they often pick these up if they are weak/injured or have been found grounded).

The lady really did herself (and us) proud. She put a lot of effort and time into the little guy. On the third night they tried again to release it again and although it seemed a bit unsure to start with, after a few minutes it flew away!

Given that bat populations in China appear to have decreased considerably in the last 30 year for reasons such as tourist cave exploitation changing the atmosphere and temperature in caves; extensive pesticide use; the demolishment of old buildings during urbanisation which reduces suitable roost sites and; people eating bats in restaurants, we were all delighted that this little fellow lived to see another day!

An insight into BCT's Bat Helpline helpers!

2009-05-14T08:38:00.000-07:00

Crystal Schintz has worked as a BCT Helpline Officer since March last year. Here she shares with you her lack of movie knowledge, what her role at BCT involves and her love of all things batty!

What do you like most about working for BCT/Helpline? I like the feeling that the work I’m doing is making a difference for British bats. It’s great when you take a call from a frightened homeowner wanting to get rid of the bats they’ve just discovered in their loft, but by the end of the call, they’re referring to their little guests as ‘my bats’ and wanting to know how they can help keep them safe and happy.

Tell us about an interesting call you’ve had recently. I’ve recently had a gentleman ask if he could post me an injured bat from Scotland because he didn’t have any bat carers near him. Other bats have been reported to be eating stiletto shoes or leaving footprints on counters after eating all the fruit in the fruit bowl.

Which native bat species is your favourite (and why)? The long-eared bats are ridiculously cute and their sweet little faces have a remarkable ability of melting even the coldest of anti-bat hearts. I also have a bit of a soft spot for our very own “Lonely George” – the one and only greater mouse-eared bat in the UK.

Somebody calls saying they think they’ve got bats in their house but they’re a bit freaked out. What do you tell them? The truth! Bats are good guests - They do not chew woodwork, fabric or cables, nor build nests, and there is no known health risks associated with their bat droppings. A small number of one species of bat in the UK (we have 17 species) do carry a rabies type virus but there is no risk to a homeowner unless handling a bat. If a grounded bat was found, handling the bat with thick gloves (and contacting the BCT helpline for advice) would remove any potential risk.

My advice would be to invite over your friends and family for a BBQ and watch the bats emerge from their roost at dusk – it’s really cool to see! And as an added bonus, the bats eat loads of those pesky little midges!

Is there an actual big red flashing ‘bat phone’ that you all take it in turns to answer? You know, when I started at BCT, friends kept asking me that and I didn’t get it the reference - I blame the fact that I grew up in the countryside for my lack of movie knowledge. It has since been explained to me, but I’ve still never seen any of the Batman films…disgraceful, aren’t I? Oh right, back to the phone. If by big you mean normal sized, by red you mean black and by flashing you’re referring to the small red light that flashes when it rings…then yes. Yes there is.

It’s usually tigers, monkeys or polar bears that get all the conservation attention in the media. What drew you to help bats? The fact that tigers, monkeys or polar bears get all the conservation attention in the media! When’s the last time you saw a polar bear echolocating (the sonar used by bats to navigate) or a monkey flying? Bats are truly remarkable mammals and deserve just as much help as tigers!

Batman looks like he can handle himself pretty well – so why do bats need our help? I think they’re really misunderstood and sadly suffer a bad reputation as a result of some negative media and myths. Plus it is quite largely a result of human activities that bats need help (loss of natural habitats, destruction of flight lines, encroachment on feeding areas, building and development etc), so it is really rewarding that my activities as a human can repair some of the damage done!

Talking the bat walk

2009-04-27T03:04:00.000-07:00

A common pipistrelle on the wing -- as seen in Regent's Park

(image: Hugh Clark)

BCT's Biodiversity Officer Lisa Hundt helped lead last week's bat walk in Regent's Park -- and did a brilliant job, we might add. Here she reveals her heretofore unknown weakness for red liquorice laces and explains why happy, healthy bats are good for the environment and us, too!

How many bats did you see?
I would say that for the first 15 minutes I could count exactly how many; it was three and I spent that entire time biting my nails wondering if they were going to desert us in our hour of need! Once we got down to the lake there were so many bats looping around foraging that it was difficult to tell, as the same bat will pass by a number of times. I would make a guess at about 40 to 60.

Drawing on your extensive and expert knowledge, what species were they likely to be?
I am slightly intimidated by the words ‘extensive’ and ‘expert’, it might be digging me a hole! The two main species of bats we saw were soprano pipistrelle and common pipistrelle bats. They were the bats that were foraging by the lake, often flying in quite close in what looks like an erratic manner, but they know what they are doing. The other species noted was a noctule bat, which has a slower call. This one was heard by the lake and along the path on the way back.

Judging by their enthusiastic loops and twirls, the bats in Regent’s Park seem pretty healthy and happy. Would you agree? And what does that mean for us humans?
Yes, the bats did seem on form that night. They were making the most of the good weather and stocking up on food in preparation for the inevitable periods within the British summer when the weather turns and there aren’t as many insects for them to feed on.

Bats are great indicators of a healthy environment, which means that if they are happy and healthy, then the environment that we live in is happy and healthy too. This is why it is so important to preserve areas they use. That way we preserve the environment for us to enjoy and for all the other species that live there as well.

Walk highlight?
Getting to the lake to see the pipistrelles foraging.

Walk lowpoint?
Not being able to take a cheese plate with us!

If people are interested in going on a bat walk, what should they do?
If you are interested in learning more about bats and going on a bat walk the best place to start is by contacting your local bat group who will often organise events over the summer. Look on the BCT website to find your nearest group.

Would you like to make a bat walk shout-out?
Bat walk shout out goes to Jenny Clark and her bats. Brilliant!

You’ve only been with us for a few weeks – how’re you finding it so far? Maybe you could tell us a little about what you do at BCT?
My role at BCT involves a bit of everything; lobbying, commenting on consultations for draft policy, working with Natural England and other organisations on initiatives such as the Biodiversity Action Plans (BAP), drafting guidance documents, as well as supporting BCT projects. I am finding working for BCT interesting, fun and rewarding -- as you can tell I am still at the point where I am full of enthusiasm, which I hope will continue.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Something you might not know about me: I am a PADI dive master and have a weakness for red liquorice laces.

Regent's Park bat walk extravaganza!

2009-04-24T04:53:00.000-07:00

This the route we took (pretty much) for last night's bat walk in Regent's Park. The weather was perfect and there were lots of bats about. It's great to know they're still whizzing about the skies of London, if you look carefully enough.

Special thanks to all our supporters, especially the Regent's Park crew who provided the venue.

More on the walk soon!

Preparing our defences against a deadly threat to bats

2009-03-27T04:23:00.000-07:00

Little brown bats with WNS in New York

(image: N Heaslip)

We're really worried here at BCT by the spread of White-nose Syndrome (WNS), the mysterious condition that has killed literally hundreds of thousands of bats in the northeastern US.

Here's how Bat Conservation International's Annual Report 2007 - 2008 described the situation:

‘Emaciated bat carcasses literally piled up in the snow outside hibernation caves in the northeastern United States last winter, imposing an almost desperate urgency on scientific efforts to solve the mystery of White-nose Syndrome – perhaps the worst ever threat faced by North American bats. [T]housands of bats died of this unexplained malady… with mortality rates exceeding 90 percent report at some hibernation caves. Whole species are at risk, and the danger of WNS spreading to other regions is unclear.’

First confirmed in bat colonies in New York in 2006, WNS had spread to Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts by 2008. So far this year it's already been found in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

No conclusive evidence of WNS has been found in the UK or mainland Europe but a number of cases of dead bats with fungal growths similar to the tell-tale signs of WNS have focussed concerns. What would happen if WNS was found here or in wider Europe? It could have a devastating impact.

So what are we doing about it? BCT has developed WNS guidelines for bat workers and other users of hibernation sites in the UK and wider Europe. Plus, we're working to raise awareness and encourage vigilance amongst the public. Now there's an urgent need to develop and implement a WNS surveillance programme, as well as formulate plans to ensure a rapid and coordinated response to WNS in the event that it is discovered in this part of the world.

You can find out more about WNS and what we're doing about it on our website. If you're able to make a donation to support this work, please donate online. Your support, no matter how large or small, will make a difference.

While bats sleep our NBMP team are hard at work

2009-03-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

Hard to spot: a sleepy looking Daubenton's bat peers out from a crevice

(image: John Altringham)

Right now it's certainly a quiet time for bats, writes Sarah Ford of BCT's National Bat Monitoring Team. They’re currently in hibernation and licensed surveyors have been busy visiting hibernation sites over the last couple of months.

The surveyors' results are starting to come in so we’ll soon have an idea of how many bats and which species have been spotted. The most commonly encountered species in hibernation sites are Natterer’s bats, Daubenton’s bats, lesser horseshoe bats and brown long-eared bats. Rare species found include barbastelles, Bechstein’s bats and the UK’s one and only greater mouse-eared bat!

The UK’s most common species, the pipistrelles, are conspicuous by their virtual absence, as they tend to roost in nooks and crannies in trees and buildings rather than open structures that surveyors are able to explore. It’s not always an easy task finding the bats as they tend to hide away in tiny gaps and crevices, making them very difficult to spot!

Unfortunately, this quiet period for bats doesn’t quite translate into quiet time for the NBMP team! We’ve been using this time to compile our survey results from 2008 in order to produce bat trends for the UK. It’s also the build up to the busy summer survey season so we’re in the process of speaking to volunteers and confirming which surveys they’re interested in taking part in. We’ll soon be preparing the survey packs, and making sure everything is in place for the summer.

The only thing we can’t prepare for is the weather, so fingers crossed that it’s sunny and dry this year!

If you’re interested in taking part in an NBMP survey this summer please contact me or visit our website for more information. You can also see survey and species maps for our 2007 and 2008 results, all thanks to our many volunteers.

Yay -- fans!

2009-02-26T07:57:00.000-08:00

It's really great to see people becoming 'fans' of our Facebook page. After a few days of trundling along with just two fans (that would be Neil and Steve, the enthusiastic duo comprising BCT's communications and membership team), we're now at 76 fans -- and counting! If you're a fan, not only are you a star, you're also helping to spread the word. And if you're not a fan yet, could you become one, pretty please? Our mission is to build a happy thriving community of bat-friendly people.

Thanks!

PS. You can find our Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bat-Conservation-Trust/61956872921

On bat crime and budgets

2009-02-26T04:46:00.000-08:00

A cluster of brown long-eared bats in a roof void

(image: Hugh Clark)

Yesterday I attended the annual Partnership Against Wildlife Crime conference, writes BCT Chief Executive Amy Coyte.

BCT is delighted that bats remain a priority for the police in terms of wildlife crime – this is much needed given the level of crime reported by our Investigations Project and thanks to the excellent partnership work between the police, bat workers, government agencies and our investigations officer.

The minister's address (Huw Iranca-Davies) was heartening in that he is clearly committed to tackling the high level of crime against our wildlife. However this commitment is yet to be seen in terms of the action which might follow it. RSPB highlighted the fact that the previous Scottish Environment minister’s interest in this area has enabled Scotland to put together a well-backed strategy which is currently being implemented and in which we all have high hopes. The question is, can such energy be galvanised in England and Wales? The minister’s reply was once again hopeful.

It was great to see so many Wildlife Crime Officers present at the conference but they expressed their concern about the low priority given to wildlife crime by the police force. The winner of the WWF Wildlife Enforcer Officer Award clearly felt that he would not be able to keep his interest in wildlife crime if he was to be promoted within the force. This does not bode well for the excellent work carried out throughout the country by these police officers.

I came away from the conference with the question -- how can enforcement of our wildlife legislation act as a deterrent when the fines given out in sentencing are so small? Developers continue to ignore the law and their action results in the direct persecution of bats. Currently fines are less then the costs of an ecological consultant and mitigation measures.

BCT will continue to prioritise raising awareness and training to prevent crimes occurring in the first place, although it is clear we could all do more to address the cases that continue to arise. And as always the great challenge is capacity. I look forward to talking to the BCT team and to batworkers throughout the UK to establish where our energies our best placed in the field of wildlife crime. What can we do best with the extremely limited resources we have available to us?

On that note, today I am concentrating on our budgets for the financial year ahead!

Looking for widgets

2009-02-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

Know anyone who'd be able to help us build a batty Facebook widget to spread the word about BCT? Please drop us a line!

We're hoping such expertise won't be as hard to find as Britain's most elusive bat, the Bechstein's (although we're working on that).

(Bechstein's bats: John Altringham)

A bat walk, eh. What's that like?

2009-02-23T01:43:00.000-08:00

We often get asked this question here at BCT. Well, we reply, a bat walk is a chance to see and hear bats in their natural habitat -- flitting through the trees, skimming over the water -- usually at night. It's really rather magical, and a fantastic way to explore your local environment.

Philip Briggs, of our National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) Team, explains:

The essentials for a bat walk are a good bat foraging habitat (such as a park, woodland or lake) that is accessible for people to walk around at night, and some bat detectors to hand around that enable the bats’ ultrasonic calls to be heard.

Normally bat walks are preceded by a talk on bats in general and the species that are likely to be seen or heard at the site. This may take place outdoors at the start point of the walk, or can involve an illustrated talk inside a nearby venue. How much other wildlife gets pointed out depends on the wider knowledge of the bat walk leaders, but few people can resist stopping to listen to the calls of owls or watch foxes, badgers and even toads that are spotted roaming around at night.

This is what you might hear on your bat detector -- a pipistrelle, Britain's most common bat. Or, if you're really lucky, a greater horsehoe.

If you'd like to find out more about bat walks in your area, amble over to our website or email Bat Group Officer Laura Dunne.

(Scottish sunset: Anney Youngman)

Hello and welcome!

2009-02-20T02:30:00.001-08:00

Hello and welcome to BCT's new blog! Okay, so there's not much going on right now -- our batty blogs are still in hibernation, as it were -- but that's all set to change as we head into spring. Stay tuned for some exciting blog-ness from the bat world!

PS. In the meantime, why not send a batty e-card from our website? You can check us out on Facebook and twitter too.

(Ultrasonic brown long-eared: Steve Parker)