BCT have issued updated Covid-19 advice which means field surveys can be undertaken this year, with some limitations. The summary for Somerset is on our website, with the full updated advice on the BCT website.
This survey aims to find out how noctule, serotine, common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle are faring across the UK.
You can either:
- help out with an existing field survey,
- or if more experienced take on a field survey yourself, choose from the list of Somerset surveys up for grabs below.
The field survey involves visiting your site on two evenings to carry out surveys, during a triangular walk in a one Km square area. The first survey should be between 1st and 15th July and the second survey between 16th and 30th July. The survey begins 20 minutes after sunset and usually takes about 90 minutes.
Field Survey sites up for grabs!
You will need a heterodyne (tuneable) bat detector and experience of identifying the target species. The group have a limited number of bat detectors which we can lend to volunteers, please contact us arrange a loan.
You can either select one of the existing sites below up for grabs, or email the BCT, or ask for a selection of randomly allocated squares near to you.
ID – Location – Grid Reference
- 115 – Minehead – SS8841
- 454 – West Huntspill (near Highbridge) – ST3045
- 447 – Crewkerne – ST4609
- 942 – Badgeworth – ST7945
- 476 – Wavering Down, Compton Bishop Country Park – ST4055
If you would like to survey one of these sites, please email nbmp@bats.org.uk and let them know the ID number of the site you are interested in taking on.
NBMP Field Survey results
2020 Somerset Results
The Covid-19 pandemic had a big impact in number of surveys carried out across the county this year.
- 3 Surveys recorded Noctules (-3 on previous year)
- 3 Surveys recorded Serotine (or “big bat”) (-4 on previous year)
- 3 Surveys recorded Common pipistrelle (-3 on previous year)
- 2 Surveys recorded Soprano pipistrelle (or “unidentified pipistrelle) (-4 on previous year)
2019 National results
- Summary of peak numbers of bat passes at each site per species
- Summary of the peak numbers of spots or walks (out of 12) each species was recorded on at each site
2019 Somerset Results
- 6 Surveys recorded Noctules (+1 on previous year)
- 7 Surveys recorded Serotine (or “big bat”) (+3 on previous year)
- 6 Surveys recorded Common pipistrelle (+2 on previous year)
- 6 Surveys recorded Soprano pipistrelle (or “unidentified pipistrelle) (+2 on previous year)
Field Surveys – Interim Somerset results map