Bat Event reports – 26Aug23

Posted on by somersetbatgroup in Bat News, SBG Events, SBG News, SBG Newsletter

In this bat group newsletter, we have:

  • Reports on several recent bat events held in August.
  • How you can get involved in our Big Bat Count!
  • Details of the bat group events coming up soon.
  • Can you help with … requests for help with batty events?
  • Due to holidays, this newsletter is been sent out early and hence this months BCT Bat Group Bulletin has not been published yet.
  • A reminder about membership renewal.
  • Welcome to our new Lifetime members of the Bat Group.

Recent bat event reports:

Weds 13th Aug – Kingsdon Big Bat Count

Kingsdon Big Bat Count 2023 briefing

It was nice to see so many lovely people in Kingsdon, return for our second Big Bat Count there. Approx 35 people split up into 10 groups surveying some new as well as last year’s sites. Unfortunately, the rain really started to come down after half an hour, and so the total number of bats recorded was down at 65.

Results of Kingsdon Big Bat Count - 23rd Aug 23

The most common species recorded were:

  • Soprano pipistrelle
  • Noctule
  • Serotine
  • Common pipistrelle

Three recordings of greater horseshoe will have further verification as these were new to last year.

Sat 19Th AUGUST – YEOVIL BIG BAT COUNT

Despite changing the date at the last moment due to the weather, there was a great turnout for the first successful Big Bat Count across Yeovil. Organised by Helen from the Wildlife Trust, around 35 people in 10 teams surveyed across Yeovil, and recorded 92 bat records.

The most frequent species was the common pipistrelle with over a third of the records, this was followed by soprano pipistrelle, serotine and noctule. Other AutoIDed records of rarer bats such as barbastelle and Bechstein’s will undergo further analysis of the recordings.

Yeovil Big Bat Count 19Aug23
Yeovil Big Bat Count Map - 19Aug23

Tues 22nd Aug – Wells Bat Walk

Dave led another highly successful walk around the Bishop’s Palace Moat for about 30 people from Wells and District Wildlife Group. The lesser horseshoes were seen and heard by everyone, hanging up in the Gatehouse, and the view was aided by Julie’s image intensifier, but not many were seen leaving. In the park, the usual serotine was absent but made up for by plenty of common and soprano pipistrelles.

Returning to the moat, the Daubenton’s were putting on a good show, and the final highlight was a Serotine towards the end of the walk.

Weds 23rd Aug – Frome Big Bat Count 2

Record turnout for the Frome Big Bat Count - August 23
Record turnout for the Frome Big Bat Count – August 23
Frome Big Bat Count Map - 23Aug23
Frome Big Bat Count Map – 23Aug23

Our thanks to Frome Town Council, and Jo in particular, for hosting our largest Big Bat Count to date. Over 50 people in 10 teams recorded 169 bats, again a Big Bat Count nightly record.

As we found in our May count, soprano and common pipistrelle were again the most commonly recorded. However, this time nearly as many noctule were seen, and there was also a good number of records of serotine, the other larger bat.

An unrecorded flyby a greater horseshoe, as well as several records of the rarer species, will be checked when the recordings are analysed later this year.

With our sincere thanks to everyone who came out, to make it such a successful night

Thurs 24th Aug – Charlton Mackrell Big Bat Count

Around twenty people met in Charlton Mackrell Reading Rooms, for a successful night of bat counting. The six teams recorded 73 bats across 11 AutoIDed species.

With about half the records common pipistrelle were the most commonly recorded, with soprano pipistrelle next. There also were a handful of records each of noctule and serotine.

The other species had few sightings, and those recordings AutoIDede as barbastelle, Natterer’s, Nathusius’s, Leisler’s and myotis species will need further analysis over the winter.

As we are in our second year of running Big bat Counts, it is nice to see the bat maps for neighbouring villages start to join up, as in this case with Kingston and the Charltons.

Charlton Mackrell Reading Room - 24Aug23
Charlton Mackrell Results Map - 24Aug23
Charlton Mackrell results map
Charlton Mackrell Routes - 24Aug23
Kingsdon and Charlton Mackrell results
Kingston and Charltons Map

Take part in our Big Bat Count!

Its not too late, as members of the group, there are several ways you can get involved in our Big Bat Count.

Take part in the Big Bat Count as an individual

Everyone can take part! The bat group would like to encourage all members to upload verifiable flight records of bats to the iNaturalist database. We have a very easy way to do this, even in batches! Once verified, these will then be added automatically to the database of the Somerset Environmental Records Centre. Full details on the links below:

Anyone who has recordings of bats echolocation in Somerset can take part, and even if you don’t have your own recordings you can still help the Somerset Big Bat Count by validating the records posted by others.

Help organise a Community group Big Bat Count

Any group of adults can ask for a Big Bat Count of their area. So if you are part of, or know about, a community group (wildlife, gardening, church …etc), or just a group of friends or neighbours, in Somerset who would like to do a Big Bat Count on their patch, then please do get in touch – somersetbatgroup@gmail.com

Help out on the night of a group Big Bat Count!

The start and end of each group Big Bat Count is always a bit of “organised chaos”. As many hands make light work, please do come along and get involved! There is always lots to do with the kit, 101 batty questions to answer, and we even get to do a bit of quiet bat-watching in between.

Please do contact the organiser of each group count to offer to help out on a count night.

Bat Group events coming up

There are lots of events planned for the coming month, come along and get involved!:

  • Cancelled – Sat 26th Aug – International Bat Night – Bridgwater Big Bat Count & Walk. Unfortunately due to the bank holiday weekend causing a lack of bookings, this event has been cancelled.
  • Sat 2nd Sept – Stoke St. Gregory Big Bat Count
  • Sun 10th Sept – Great Breach and Ham Wall Bat Box checks
  • Tues 12th Sept – Brompton Ralph Big Bat Count
  • Sun 17th Sept – Harridge Bat Box checks
  • Sun 24th Sept – Levels Reserves Bat Box checks
  • Sun 24th Sept – Edford Woods Bat Box checks

For details on how to join these events please see the Upcoming Events page on our website: https://somersetbat.group/events/upcoming/

Can you help with …?

The bat group receives far more requests for help, than the committee can do. Hence please do let us know if you think you could help out with recent requests:

  • Drayton Environment Group have set the date for their Wildlife Fair in Drayton (near Langport) Village Hall. It is now 25th November 2023
    • each charity has its own table for information leaflets and merchandise
    • each expert will have an allotted 15-20 mins to speak to the audience
  • The Bishop’s Palace in Wells would like someone to lead a Bat Talk and Walk evening (as Dave can’t do it). Mid-Sept has been suggested, and the groups equipment should be available for loan.

Bat group bulletin

This newsletter was sent out early and hence the link to this months BCT Bat Group Bulletin was added afterwards.

All past editions of the Bulletin can be found on this page of our website:

Membership Renewal.

If you are one of the 51 people who last filled in your annual membership form in 2022, this a reminder that your subscription to the Bat Group lapsed at our AGM in April, and you are no longer a member of the Bat Group.

If that is the case please complete our membership form to rejoin now: https://somersetbat.group/join/

Welcome to our new Lifetime members

The group would like to warmly welcome the following members who have taken up lifetime membership in the last month:

  • SBG0009 – Mark