Archive – 2023 events

NBMP WINTER HIBERNATION COUNTS – Dec22 to Mar23

Many licenced bat workers carry out surveys of hibernation sites from December to March each year. They often need assistance or are willing to take others along.

SAT 18TH MARCH – TALK ON GREATER HORSESHOES IN SOMERSET

Researcher Tom Foxley from the Ecology and Conservation Research Lab at the University of the West of England will present his research on Greater Horseshoes across greater Somerset.

A novel, integrated approach to landscape-level strategic conservation planning for the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) in Somerset

“The aim of my PhD research is to build a detailed picture of how greater horseshoe bats use the landscape in Somerset. I’m using spatial modelling, ground-truthed with acoustic and telemetry studies, to map areas of important habitat and understand how they connect. I will be providing my results to local authorities in Somerset, enabling local decision makers to develop a regional conservation strategy that minimises the impact of development on greater horseshoe bats.”

Sat 25th March – SOUTH WEST REGIONAL BAT CONFERENCE 2023

The hybrid one day conference will be held by BCT on Saturday 25th March at Tiverton campus of Petroc College, and online via zoom.

A draft version of the programme is at: https://www.bats.org.uk/our-work/conferences-symposia/english-regional-bat-conferences/south-west-of-england-bat-conference.

  • In-person tickets, that include a vegetarian lunch and morning and afternoon refreshments are £45 for BCT/Somerset bat group members and £50 for non-members.
  • Virtual tickets are £25 for BCT/Somerset bat group members and £30 for non-members.

You can find the booking links for both ticket types on the website above

BAT GROUP AGM – Sat 22nd APRIL 2023

We will hold our AGM 2023, in Othery Village Hall again, central Somerset

If you would prefer not to attend in person, we hope to stream the meeting via Zoom.

However, it is worth pointing out, that as we found last year, trying to Zoom a meeting where many people in the same room are all online, can be a frustrating (and deafening) view. Hence please do come along in person if you would like to fully contribute.

The following documents are ready for review:

Last years 2022 AGM minutes and accounts can be found on this page.

If you would like to:

  • raise any matter as AOB at the AGM,
  • stand for the committee of SBG, 
  • or send your apologies if you can’t attend

Then please email us ASAP:  somersetbatgroup@gmail.com

Sat 22nd April – Yeovil Big Bat Count

To celebrate Earth Day along with the Wildlife Trust we are running a Big Bat Count across Yeovil. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact Andy for details if you can assist.

Fri 12th May – Frome Big Bat Count

A Big Bat Count hosted by the Wild Bunch with support from Frome Town Council. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

  • Sunset is 8:50 PM, so meet at 8 PM for the briefing, and a 8:50 PM count start.
  • Meeting at Frome Town Hall.

Fri 19th May – Buckland St Mary Big Bat Count

A private big bat count on the Blackdowns for Buckland St Mary parish environment group. Backup date in case of weather is 20th May.

Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

  • Sunset is 9:01 PM, so meet at 8:15 PM for the briefing, and a 9 PM count start.
  • Contact Jolyon for details.

Sat 20th May – Gt.Breach and Ham Wall Bat box Checks

Josh Butterworth will be leading the checks of the bat boxes at Great Breach Wood (just south of Street), and Ham Wall on the levels.

  • 10AM start. Bring packed lunch
  • Please email Josh if you would like to reserve a space, and for info on the meeting location

Sun 21st May – Harridge Bat Box Checks

Ash die-back and recent storms have had a huge impact on the Harridge woods (north of Shepton). Hence many of the bat boxes have been moved recently under licence. We will be checking bat boxes in their new locations and perhaps rehanging a few new, and some repaired ones. If time, we may also check the Keepers Bat house as well.

  • 11AM start. Bring packed lunch
  • Contact Adel if you would like to reserve a place, and for info on the meeting location

Sat 27th May – Levels Bat box Checks

Dani Smith will be leading the checks of the bat boxes at Canada Farm, Shapwick and Catcott. Backup date is 28th May for any that are missed on 27th.

  • 10:30AM start. Bring packed lunch, or might be possible to buy lunch at the Avalon Marshes Centre
  • Please email Dani if you would like to reserve a space, and for info on the meeting location

Sun 28th May – Edford Bat Box Checks

Clearance works due to Ash die-back have also had a significant impact on the ride through Edford Woods (north of Shepton), and most of the bat boxes had to be moved. We will check the existing bat boxes and hang new ones to double the number in the woods. If time allows we may also check the Wadbury Bat house.

  • 11AM start. Bring packed lunch
  • Contact Adel if you would like to reserve a place, and for info on the meeting location

NATIONAL BAT MONITORING PROGRAM (NBMP)

For many years, lots of group members have collected and contributed data to these national monitoring programs run by the BCT.  Each survey site is allocated to a volunteer, and in many cases, they need lots of help.  Hence there any many opportunities to learn more while doing your bit to help bat conservation.

The surveys happen at the same time every year, so watch out for the emails and Facebook messages nearer the time for details of when, where and who the lead contact is.

LATE MAY TO EARLY JULY – NBMP ROOST SURVEYS

Sunset emergent counts at roosts across Somerset.  Click here for more details

Sat 8th July – Castle Cary Big Bat Count

The location of our first Big Bat Count, and our first return visit for a repeat! Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

  • Sunset is 21:26PM, so meet at 8:45PM for the briefing, and a 9:30PM count start.

JULY – NBMP FIELD SURVEYS

The field survey takes place in July and monitors noctule, serotine, common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle. It is done by two 1km recording walks, starting 20mins after sunset.  Click here for more details

Fri 14th July – Drayton Big Bat Count

A Big Bat Count in Drayton near Langport. Cancelled due to weather.

AUGUST – NBMP WATERWAYS SURVEYS

Monitoring the activity of Daubenton’s bats along Somersets waterways. Two waterside recording walks, starting 40mins after sunset. Click here for more details

Sun 13th Aug – Kingsdon Big Bat Count

Returning to the lovely people in Kingsdon, for our second Big Bat Count there. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

  • Sunset is 20:37PM, so meet at 8PM for the briefing, and a 8:45PM count start.

SAT 19Th AUGUST – YEOVIL BIG BAT COUNT

Note changed date. Along with the Wildlife Trust we are running a Big Bat Count across Yeovil. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact Andy for details if you can assist. Moved to backup date due to rain forecast.

TueS 22nd AUGUST – BAt WAlk for WDWG

Back by popular demand, Dave’s bat walk around the Bishops Palace Moat for Wells & District Wildlife Group. 8pm – 10pm.

Experienced members are welcome to help – email Dave for details, and to offer to assist.

Weds 23rd Aug – Frome Big Bat Count

A Big Bat Count hosted by the Wild Bunch with support from Frome Town Council. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

Thurs 24th Aug – Charlton Mackrell Big Bat Count

A Big Bat Count for a local group in Charlton Mackrell. Backup date is 25th Aug. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

  • Sunset is 8:15 PM, so meet at 7:30 PM for the briefing, and a 8:15 PM count start.

Sat 26th Aug – Bridgwater Big Bat Count for International Bat Night

As part of International Bat Night, we were planning to run a public Big Bat Count and Bat Walk promoted by SWT in Bridgwater. Unfortunately due to lack of bookings this has been cancelled.

Sat 2nd Sept – Stoke St Gregory Big Bat Count

A private big bat count for Stoke St Gregory environment group. Backup date in case of weather is Friday 1st or Sun 3rd Sept. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

  • Sunset is 7:56 PM, so meet at 7:15 PM for the briefing, and a 8:00 PM count start
  • Contact Bryony for count details.

Sun 10th Sept – Gt.Breach and Ham Wall Bat box Checks

Josh Butterworth will be leading the checks of the bat boxes at Great Breach Wood (just south of Street), and Ham Wall on the levels.

  • 10AM start. Bring packed lunch
  • Please email Josh if you would like to reserve a space, and for info on the meeting location

Tues 12th Sept – Brompton Ralph Big Bat Count

A Big Bat Count for Brompton Ralph wildlife group with support from residents of Tolland. Help from bat group members would be very welcome, contact us if you can help.

  • Sunset is 7:34 PM, so meet at 7 PM for the briefing, and a 7:40 PM count start.

Sun 24th Sept – Levels Bat box Checks

Note new date. Dani Smith will be leading the checks of the bat boxes at Canada farm, Shapwick, Catcott and possibly if time Meare Heath Loxtons plot. Backup date is 23rd Sept for any that are missed on 16th.

  • 10:30AM start. Bring packed lunch, or might be possible to buy lunch at the Avalon Marshes Centre
  • Please email Dani if you would like to reserve a space, and for info on the meeting location

SUN 24TH Sept – EDFORD BAT BOX CHECKS

We will be checking the Bat Boxes on the ride through Edford woods, just north of Shepton. We may also visit any boxes in Harridge not surveyed the previous weekend, and if time allows, also check the Wadbury Bat house.

  • 11AM start. Bring packed lunch
  • Contact Adel if you would like to reserve a place, and for info on the meeting location

Mon 25th Sept – Bat Walk at Heal Rewilding

Not a SBG event, but led by members. Ruby from Heal sent us these details:

“a bat evening with our local bat expert, Jacquie Billington, held at our new rewilding site Heal Somerset which is just outside of Frome in the small village of Witham Friary.

The evening will consist of a walk after dusk with bat detectors to watch the bats emerge followed by a talk by Jacquie Billington about the bats at Heal Somerset. Tickets (£10) and lots more information can be found on our Eventbrite page here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/713715501277?aff=oddtdtcreator“

Winter Zoom talks 23/4

Our friends in the Avon Bat group have organised a series of winter Zoom online talks. In the spirit of collaboration, they have extended the invitation to these events to Somerset (and Wilts) Bat group members. They promise to be very interesting so please do attend if you can.

Thurs 23rd Nov23 7:30PM- Madeline Davis, BCT – “AI in the forest”

Madeline will be talking about automatic sound classification software to monitor UK bats. It should be an excellent presentation and there will be an opportunity for Q & A afterwards.

“Madeline got interested in bats as a teenager walking around churchyards with a detector listening out for pipistrelles. She then went off to university and worked on chalk grassland ecology and started to get interested in the biodiversity and climate crises. After doing her biodiversity and conservation Masters she worked on climate change policy and then went on to study political debates around land ownership and access. She has worked in various mental health charities as a frontline advocate, trainer, and data analyst, and has a strong interest in social justice (particularly data justice!).

Madeline joined BCT in 2023 as the Science Projects Assistant to help out with the passive acoustic monitoring on the Bats and Forest Projects, handling equipment and the acoustic data from processing to classification.”