May 2025 will be the busiest month the bat group has ever had, there is so much going on! So in this packed bat group newsletter we have:
- The season has officially started! Reports from our first Bat Box checks and Big Bat Counts.
- At our annual meeting we had a great talk about our grey long-eared project.
- More dates added for the build a bat detector workshops.
- Help needed with lighting research project.
- Bat carers wanted to help with Cat predation survey.
- Ex libris Dave Cottle – Batty books in return for donations to the group.
- Can you help with …? recent requests to the Bat Group.
- Lots of batty events coming up.
- The latest BCT Bat Group Bulletin has the latest details about the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.
- Nominations are open for this year’s Pete Guest Award
- Welcome our new lifetime members!
- For people who joined in 2024 your membership has now lapsed, time for many to renew!
Bat Group event reports
2nd May – FROME BIG BAT COUNT #1
Another fully booked Big Bat Count at Frome saw around 50 people in 10 teams set off into a warm still night. Our thanks once again to Jo and Frome Town Council for superb organising.
A total of 154 bat observations were made across 10 Species. The two Pipistrelle species were again the most commonly seen, but there were more Noctule than Serotine than the same time last year.
Initial unverified observations from the night of 2nd May 2025 are in iNaturalist:
The bat recordings made on the night, and stored on the tablets, have been analysed, and the numbers of bats does seem to be slightly down on last year. This may be due to the dry spring? But more data is needed. Unfortunately the majority of the observations of Noctules could not be verified and only 1 record was uploaded.
There are now an extra 61 verifiable bat recordings uploaded to iNaturalist across 5 species, Soprano (Pygmy) Pipistrelle, Common Pipistrelle, Serotine, Daubenton’s, Noctule and a possible whiskered, which needs more validation.
- Validated “Research Grade” bat records
- 6 Verifiable species from Frome Big Bat Count 2nd May 2025
- Bat map of the 61 verifiable bat recordings from Frome Big Bat Count 2/5/25
4th May – Edford Bat Box checks.
A lovely sunny day saw Amber leading a small group around Edford Woods. Thanks to everyone who came! We were very pleased to be joined by Annabel (and her parents) who raised money for the bat group last year.
While we found bird nests, eggs, wasp nests, hornets and snail droppings, unfortunately there were no bats present.
We did however find a mystery batbox, and talking to Liz the reserve warden afterwards, she said mystery small bird boxes had also been appearing!
After Edford a smaller group moved on the Wadbury Bat house, and while there were no lessers or serotine present, there were 10 very active greater horseshoes.
Some were ringed but they were far too active to attempt reading numbers.
BAT GROUP Annual meeting & GLE Talk
We had a superb talk from Daniel about the results of the 2024 grey-long-eared project, and plans for 2025 GLE trapping and radio tracking. You can find about this, and everything else that went on at our annual meeting, in the notes below:
These documents are also stored on our website here.
more Build your own Bat Detector Workshops
Our first Bat Detector building workshop at the Somerset Earth Science Centre, on Sat 14th June 2025, is now fully booked.
So working with the Wildlife Trust we have just booked in some extra dates:
- Sat 5th July – Avalon Marshes Centre, Shapwick Road, Westhay, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 9TT – Booking via the Somerset Wildlife Trust website.
- Weds 9th July – Somerset Wildlife Trust Offices, 34 Wellington Rd, Taunton. TA1 5AW. Booking via Somerset Wildlife Trust website.
Both events are 10AM to noon, and booking is via the Somerset Wildlife Trust website links above.
Click here for full details of how the workshops work, and what amazing detector you can build.
Help needed with lighting research project
Dr Tom Foxley from the Bat Conservation Research Lab has written to ask for help, he says:
“I’m continuing with the lighting research project this summer, the focus this year will be on getting juvenile growth rate data. I wasn’t able to do this last year because it’s not possible to get around enough roosts in time on my own. So I’m looking for a few experienced people to help monitor some roosts this year, do you think you could pass this onto anyone you think could help? They’d need to have a level 2 license, be happy measuring juveniles on their own and be able to visit the roost 4-5 times late June-early July. I have a few roosts dotted around Somerset that need monitoring. I would need to pass on their details to NE to get them added to the license, so would need to hear back soon.
Please ask anyone that’s interested to get in touch, thanks! tf289@bath.ac.uk”
Cat predation survey
Bronwen Hunter a Postdoctoral Researcher, from the University of Sussex sent us the following information:
“We are currently looking to recruit bat carers to take part in a short questionnaire (10-15 minutes to complete) that will assess the extent and potential impact of predation from domestic cats on bats across Europe.
Insights from this survey will directly inform conservation, by allowing us to identify where, and in what contexts cat predation on bats is most likely to occur. Participants will also have the opportunity to sign up to take part in a follow-up study, in which we will use genetic testing to detect cat DNA on bat wing swabs.
The survey is available online at https://universityofsussex.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_42QhCBBTB8HUPci “
ex libris Dave Cottle
Recently one of our longest standing members, and former chair, Dave Cottle moved away from Somerset. Fortunately for us, he said he is happy to remain on the committee, and so we won’t lose his years and years of Somerset bat knowledge.
Dave has left his collection of bat books here with us in Somerset, so any of the lists below are available, in return for a donation to the bat group. Please email us, if you would like to reserve anything:
Hardback books (by publication date)
- Hedgehogs – Pat Morris – 1983
- The Lives of Bats – Wilfred Schober – 1984
- Bats – Phil Richardson (signed copy) – 1985
- A Guide to Bats of Britain and Europe – Wilfried Schober & Eckard Grimmberger – 1989
The Bats of Europe and North America – Wilfried Schober & Eckard Grimmberger – 1997- Bats, a world of science and mystery – M.Brock Fenton & Nancy B Simmons – 2014
- Bat Calls of Britain and Europe – Jon Russ – 2021
Softback books and pamphlets (by publication date)
The identification of British Bats – DW Yalden – 1985- Distribution and status of Bats in Europe – RE Stebbings – 1986
- Bats – Robert Stebbings – 1986
- The Complete Bat – James Robertson – 1990
- Bat Conservation Project book – Shirley Thompson and Phil Richardson – 1993
- Walkers Bats of the World – Ronald M. Nowak – 1994
- The world of Bats – acoustic ID of French Bats – Michel Barataud – 1995
- Bat Mitigation Guidelines – English Nature – 2004
- Eurobats 1991-2006
- The Bat Workers Manual 3rd Edition
- The lesser horseshoe Bat conservation Handbook – VWT – 2008
- Bat Roosts in Rock – Bat Rock Habitat Key 2021 (slight damage)
Leaflets
- Lots and lots, going back over the years. Ask, and Dave may well have it!
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 these recent requests: somersetbatgroup@gmail.com
- Wessex Dexter Cattle Group and we are holding their annual show in Glastonbury on 11th May. They would like to include other interesting country life, farming and environmental displays to inform and entertain the visitors. They ask if the Bat Group would be interested in having a stand at the show to inform and talk on all things ‘Bats’
2025 Bat group Events
It’s going to be a busy couple of months in the bat world! The next events coming up are:
- 9May – Thurlbear Wood Bat Box Checks
- 10May – Great Breach and Ham Wall Bat Box Checks
- 10May – Shepton Beauchamp Big Bat Count
- 11May – Harridge Wood Bat Box Checks
- 16May – Highbridge Big Bat Count
- 17May – East Mendips Bat Box Checks
- 17May – Bridgwater Big Bat Count
- 18May – Levels Bat Box Checks
- 23May – Ruggin Wood Bat Box Checks
- Late Spring – First GLE Trapping and radio tracking
- 15June – Bat Detector Building workshop
Details of how to get involved for all events are on the website: https://somersetbat.group/events/
Bat Group Bulletin
This month’s BCT Bat Group Bulletin includes the latest on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill:
Back copies of all past Bat Group Bulletins are on the link below:
Nominations are open for this year’s Pete Guest Award
The BCT sent us this information to pass onto our members:
“Dear bat group member,
We are pleased to let you know that we are now accepting nominations for the Pete Guest Award 2025.
The Pete Guest Award is presented annually to individuals who have made an outstanding practical contribution to bat conservation. The award is presented in memory of Pete Guest, who was an inspirational figure in bat conservation for more than 20 years. Details of the award are on the BCT website at: www.bats.org.uk/pete-guest-award.
The criteria for the award include dedication, innovation, enthusiasm and inspiration in making a difference, both to bats and to people, and helping make BCT’s vision become a reality. Previous winners can be seen on the webpage above.
Nominating someone for the 2025 award
- If you would like to nominate a fellow bat worker for the 2025 award, please email their name, bat group/organisation, email address, and importantly a statement of support (see note below) to batgroups@bats.org.uk. Please also include your name and bat group in the email.
Please note: Nominations cannot be accepted without a statement of at least 250 words on why you think the person deserves the award (relating back to the criteria stated above). Previous year’s statements of support can be seen here as examples: www.bats.org.uk/PGA-past-nominees.
- Deadline for nominations: By 9am on Monday 16 June 2025.
Voting for a winner
A list of nominees and supporting statements will be circulated to all bat groups and posted on the BCT website by 27 June 2025. Voting will be done through an online form and is limited to one vote per person. Voting will close at 9am on Monday 18 August 2025.
Announcement of Winner
The award winner will be formally announced at the National Bat Conference, 5-7 September 2025. The award winner will also be invited to give their acceptance speech again at the free-to-attend online Bat Workers Forum, date to be confirmed.
Kind regards, Abby Packham (she/her), Bat Groups Officer
WELCOME TO OUR NEW LIFETIME MEMBERS
The group would like to warmly welcome the following members who took out lifetime membership in the last month:
- SBG0042 – Sarah
- SBG0043 – Daisy
- SBG0044 – Nicki
- SBG0045 – Stuart
- SBG0046 – Barbra
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL time
The membership of people who last paid subs in the first part of 2024 has now lapsed.
Hence it is now time for most to renew your membership. We will let you know if you need to renew via your bat group newsletter, so please check your inbox (and spam).
It costs just £5 per household to rejoin the bat group (free for students/unwaged), and your renewed membership would then run until our 2026 AGM, on 18th April 2026.
For regular members, you might like to consider taking out lifetime membership, which is just £50 per household.
Please pay your membership subs by BaCs or Paypal. Then:
- If your details have changed, then complete our online membership form to update your information.
- OR, if nothings changed, simply just drop us an email to let us know you have paid.
Full details on our website: https://somersetbat.group/join/