Your chance to help the bat group – 31Aug25

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

In this August 2025 Somerset bat group newsletter we have:

Recent Big Bat CouNt reports

Sat 9th August – Castle Cary

A clear, but breezy night saw us return to the site of our first Big Bat Count. Our thanks again to local member Neville for the superb organising. Around 30 people took part with 6 teams heading around Cary, while two teams set off to survey Carymoor marsh for the first time in a Big Bat Count.

With 6 teams recording in iNaturalist on the night, there were 87 observations across 6 species, with Common Pipistrelle making up the majority. But there were also good numbers of Serotine and Soprano Pipistrelle.

The bat recordings made on the night, and stored on the tablets, have now been analysed. There are an extra 74 verifiable bat recordings uploaded to iNaturalist across 8 species.

Common Pipistrelle was the most numerous, forming nearly two thirds of the recordings. Then Soprano (Pygmy) Pipistrelle, and Serotine. The few recordings of Brown Long-eared, Noctule and the three Myotis species: Daubenton’s, Bechstein’s and Brandt’s will need more validation.

Tues 19th August – FROME BIG BAT COUNT #2

The Frome Council chamber was packed out, and the count fully booked again, for the second Big Bat Count in Frome. Around 60 people in 11 teams set off into a warm overcast evening. Our thanks once again to Jo from Frome Town Council for brilliant organisation, and Sonia from the “WhenInFrome” podcast for coming to record us.

A total of 187 bat observations were made across 12 species. Numbers were up on the May count in spring ’25, but are down on the number of observations in 2024. The two Pipistrelle species were again the most commonly seen, but this time there were more Serotine observed than Noctule for the same time last year.

Initial unverified results, showing observations from 19th August are in iNaturalist:

Next Big bat Counts

The Big Bat Count Kit is now “out on tour”, in the Community, with groups in Kingsdon and Stoke St. Gregory running their own Big Bat Counts. Hence look out for a bumper data update, when the kit returns for the Taunton Big Bat Count on the 13th Sept.

Could YOU be our new Secretary or Treasurer?

After doing the accounts for the last 10 years, and filling in as “temporary” Secretary for 6 years, Andy has told the committee that we will be standing down from both roles at the AGM next April, as he wants to focus on other things, namely Big Bat Counts and Bat Detector Workshops.

Hence the group really needs new folks to step forward to take on these key bat group roles. You can find out all about these important roles here. This is your chance to help your group.

As a bonus, anyone who holds one of the SBG officer posts for a year (or more) automatically becomes a honorary lifetime member of the Bat Group, for free.

If you think you could help, please do email us – somersetbatgroup@gmail.com

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).

The next Bat group Events

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

  • 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 (full)
  • 4Oct – Bat Detector building Workshop – Bawdrip (full)
  • 15Nov – Bat Detector building Workshop – Stoke St. Michael (full)
  • 15Nov – Ultrasound recorder building Workshop – Stoke St. Michael (full)

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 news that the RSPCA scope of service is changing due to increased workloads. So the RSPCA are no longer able to help with small wildlife under their service scope, including bats.

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

Membership form now working again

In mid August Google did a major update to their Forms system. This meant that many existing Google forms were set to preview mode, and while they could be filled in, they could not be submitted.

Unfortunately, the SBG membership form was one of these affected. However the issue has now been resolved, and the membership form is tested, and fully working again.

If anyone has completed the membership form in the past 2 weeks, the group would not have received it. Please accept our apologies, and we would be grateful if you could resubmit your form now. Thank you!

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/