Our most species rich Big Bat Count ever! – 10Aug25

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

Firstly apologies for the delay in this newsletter, caused by us being away at a family wedding. In this July 2025 newsletter we have:

Ham Hill Villages Big Bat CouNt 25July

A large group of around 40 met at the Rangers Station at top of Ham Hill, then split up into 11 teams to survey the surrounding villages. A warm night, with some clouds, saw mixed results with some teams seeing lots of bats, and others few.

Just three teams were recording in iNaturalist, so the on the night results are limited, but do include single observations of Greater Horseshoe and Lesser Horseshoe:

The bat recordings made on the night, and stored on the tablets, have now been analysed, and there are an extra 100 verifiable bat recordings uploaded to iNaturalist from an amazing 13 species, a new Big Bat count record!

Common Pipistrelle were by far and away the most commonly seen, then Serotine, Soprano (Pygmy) Pipistrelle and Common Noctule were also frequent. It was nice to get a couple of verifiable recordings of Nathusius’ Pipistrelle, and a woodland bat the Western Barbastelle.

The single recordings of Lesser and Greater Horseshoe near Montacute are unmistakable. While the recordings of the 3 Myotis species; Brandt’s, Daubenton’s, and Natterer’s, will be a lot more difficult to verify. As will the recordings of the Brown Long-eared Bat and the very rare Grey Long-eared Bat. However, Somerset’s rarest bat, the Grey Long-eared is known in the area, so this is possible

Two new EBLV-1 cases in Somerset bats

The BCT have sent us more detailed information on the following two cases:

A female adult serotine bat was found on 08/07/2025 in Merriott, Somerset. It was found in a garden, with seizures and died shortly after. No human or animal contact reported. The carcase was submitted to APHA as part of the passive bat surveillance scheme whereupon testing was found to be positive for EBLV-1.

“We have been notified of a new EBLV-1 case in Galhampton, Somerset. A juvenile unknown sex serotine bat was found weak and unresponsive on 22/07/25. It was collected by an unknown finder and taken to a vet practice where it died on 22/07/25. No human biting/scratching incidents reported. The bat tested positive for EBLV-1.”

These two cases are in addition to the earlier case in April this year:

An male adult serotine bat was found displaying neurological clinical signs, in poor condition and had been attacked by magpies in South Petherton, Somerset. It was taken to a rehabilitation centre, but due to its poor health condition the animal was euthanised. No human or animal contact reported. The carcass was submitted to APHA as part of the passive bat surveillance scheme whereupon testing was found to be positive for EBLV-1.

In all cases UKHSA is aware and undertaking further enquiries as necessary.
Dr Allyson Walsh, Head of Conservation Services for BCT says:

“This remains in line with expectations as we have multiple cases reported annually, mainly during the summer months. It doesn’t change the advice and guidance around bats and rabies. EBLVs are normally transmitted by means of a bite or scratch from an infected bat. It is essential that people follow best practice when handling any species of bat: anyone handling a bat should wear gloves (and face covering because of SARS-CoV-2 to protect the bat), anyone regularly handling bats in the British Isles should be routinely vaccinated against rabies (even in areas where EBLV has yet to be confirmed), and anyone bitten, nipped, licked or scratched by a bat, of any species, should seek medical advice (even if they are already vaccinated)”

Useful links:

More Bat detectors built!

Sat 5th July – Avalon Marshes Centre

A morning and an afternoon session were run, with both groups having a 100% success rate!
Everyone left with a working mini Pipistrelle Bat Detector that they had made.

SAT 19th July – SWT Taunton

Two sessions again, with 9 out of 11 detectors working this time. The microphone placement issues on the other 2 were not salvageable, but these folk could finish off a pre-built detector, so everyone again, left with a working detector.

Our thanks to the Somerset Wildlife Trust for hosting and promoting these events. All the workshops have been oversubscribed, and so we are talking to the Wildlife Trust about running them again in March/April 2026.

The next planned workshops are as below, and by sourcing clone components direct from China, future workshops will be even cheaper! (£12 to £22 each).

SAT 11th Oct – Bat Detector Workshop in Bawdrip

Sat 15TH Nov – Workshops in Stoke St. Michael

Click here for full details of how the workshops work, and what amazing detectors you can build.

CAN YOU HELP WITH …?

The bat group receives far more requests for help than the committee can do. Hence please get in touch with the contact below if you think you could help out with this recent request:

  • The Somerset Archaeological & Natural History Society would like a talk/power point presentation for bat awareness month. The preferred dates would be either Sat. 4th or 11th October. The meetings are held in the afternoon starting at 2 or 2.30 PM whichever is convenient for the speaker. Location is Wyndham Hall in Taunton (next to the museum).
  • A member of Dorset Bat Group would appreciate help in her friend’s garden in Chard to check for a possible roost. Contact us if you can help.
  • Glastonbury Abbey will be hosting Monday evening bat walks for groups of the public around Glastonbury Abbey, led by Abbey wildlife volunteers accompanied by a staff member. The Abbey are loaning some of the group’s detectors for this.
    The dates for the bat walks are: 11th Aug, 18th Aug, 8th Sept and 15th Sept. The Abbey would love experienced members along to help – email Anton for details, and to offer to assist.

The next Bat group Events

Come along and get involved! The next events coming up are:

  • 19Aug – Frome Big Bat Count #2
  • 23Aug – Blagdon Hill, Taunton – Big Bat Count
  • W’end 30Aug – Kingsdon Big Bat Count
  • W’end 6Sept – Stoke St.Gregory Big Bat Count
  • 13Sept – Gt.Breach and Ham Wall Bat Box checks
  • 13Sept – Taunton Big Bat Count
  • 14Sept – Levels Bat Box checks
  • 19Sept – Charltons Big Bat Count
  • 20Sept – East Mendips Bat Box checks
  • 21Sept – Harridge Woods Bat Box checks
  • 28Sept – Edford woods Bat Box checks

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 view that the new Biodiversity Net Gain proposals would cause species losses.

Back copies of all past Bat Group Bulletins are on the link below:

Pete Guest Award 2025 Voting open

Thank you to everyone who has provided nominations and supporting statements for the Pete Guest Award this year. Congratulations to this year’s nominees:

  • Conor Kelleher
  • Tony Stimpson

Please find the list of nominees, the statements of support submitted for each, and details of how to vote on the BCT website at: www.bats.org.uk/pete-guest-award.

How to Vote

  • Please use the online voting form to register your vote. https://forms.office.com/e/THd2iUbXQG
  • Votes are limited to one per person. You are only allowed to vote once for one nominee. Your name and email address will be stored by BCT solely for the purpose of regulating voting and will be deleted after presentation of the award.
  • Voting has been extended and will close at 5pm Monday 25th August. 

If you have any questions or issues with the voting process, get in touch via batgroups@bats.org.uk.

Announcement of Winner

The award winner will be formally announced at the National Bat Conference, 5-7 September 2025. They will also be invited to give their acceptance speech again at the Bat Workers Forum due to be held 23 October 2025.

The National Bat Conference is a hybrid event, with attendees welcome both in-person at the University of Durham and online via zoom. The Bat Workers Forum will be free to attend and held on zoom, with supporting documents circulated in advance. You can find further details online at:

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 many 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 (if applicable). Then:

  • If your details have changed, please 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, or that you are still eligible for free membership.

Full details on our website: https://somersetbat.group/join/