LEICESTERSHIRE AND RUTLAND BAT GROUP Summer Programme 2016 NB – As with all evening walks, even in summer the weather can be cool after sunset. Bring warm clothes and a torch. If the weather looks ‘iffy’ it is worth checking with the named contact that the event will be going ahead. If it is throwing it down with rain the walk is unlikely to go ahead. National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) This scheme is run by the Bat Conservation Trust. It involves evening counts at roosts in June of four species – Natterer’s, Brown Long-eared, Common and Soprano Pipistrelle – and two types of field transect surveys: the Noctule, Serotine, Pipistrelle field survey (undertaken in July) and the waterways survey for Daubenton’s bats (undertaken in August). May Thursday 5th May, Ulverscroft Nature Reserve, (near Copt Oak) bat box checking 10am start, should end around 12.30pm Come and help check these wooden and woodcrete bat boxes. There are approximately 25 boxes to check. So far I have found pips, brown long-eareds, noctules and Leisler’s in these boxes. Ideal for people currently training to get their bat license as you’ll get the chance to learn how to do bat box checks, open some boxes, use an endoscope and hopefully handle a few bats too. You must be rabies vaccinated if you wish to handle the bats. Booking essential – please call Nathalie on 07932 866197 or e-mail [email protected] Sunday 8th May, Charnwood Lodge nature reserve (near Copt Oak) bat box checking 10am start, should end by around 2pm. Lots of different styles of bat boxes to check, mainly various woodcrete styles and some wooden ones, approximately around 50 boxes. Usually the spring survey is good for pips and brown long-eareds. Ideal for people currently training to get their bat license as you’ll get the chance to learn how to do bat box checks, open some boxes, use an endoscope and hopefully handle a few bats too. You must be rabies vaccinated if you wish to handle the bats. There will be a fair amount of walking so please bring a drink and snack with you. Booking essential – please call Nathalie on 07932 866197 or e-mail [email protected] Tuesday 10th May, Waterways NBMP Daubenton’s Survey Training Training for Waterways NBMP Daubenton’s Surveys. Come and learn how to conduct the 1km Waterways National Bat Monitoring Programme Survey that is run by the Bat Conservation Trust. Contact Elspeth Cranston and Ed Darby if you'd like to come. Meet at 8.45pm on the bridge over the River Soar, Bridge Street, Barrow-on-Soar, GR SK 572174. Parking is a little tricky; please do not park in either of the nearby pub car parks. There is street parking nearby. Please book in advance with Ed and Elspeth A detailed account of the survey is available by following the link below: http://www.bats.org.uk/nbmp_tutorials_waterway/tutorial1.htm Wednesday 11th May, Launde Park Wood nature reserve (near Launde Abbey) 7pm – 10pm ish Come and help check these wooden and woodcrete bat boxes. There are approximately 20 boxes to check. So far I have found pips and hornets in the boxes. After checking the boxes we’ll spend a while walking around the nature reserve with bat detectors to see what is around as we know little of what species of bats other than pips use the nature reserve. Ideal for people currently training to get their bat license as you’ll get the chance to learn how to do bat box checks, open some boxes, use an endoscope and hopefully handle a few bats too. You must be rabies vaccinated if you wish to handle the bats. There will be a fair amount of walking so please bring a drink and snack with you. Booking essential – please call Nathalie on 07932 866197 or e-mail [email protected] Monday 16th May, Dimminsdale nature reserve, near Calke, 7.30pm – 10pm ish Come and help check these wooden and woodcrete bat boxes. There are approximately 20 boxes to check. So far I have found pips and hornets in the boxes. After checking the boxes we’ll spend a while walking around the nature reserve with bat detectors to see what is around. We might get to see and hear Daubenton’s feeding over the pools and pick up new species for the reserve. Ideal for people currently training to get their bat license as you’ll get the chance to learn how to do bat box checks, open some boxes, use an endoscope and hopefully handle a few bats too. You must be rabies vaccinated if you wish to handle the bats. There will be a fair amount of walking so please bring a drink and snack with you. The paths are steep in places with lots of steps up and downhill too. Booking essential – please call Nathalie on 07932 866197 or e-mail [email protected] Wednesday 25th May, Bat Walk at Oadby Meet at Brocks Hill Environmental Centre, Oadby at 8.30pm Leader: Elaine Carter, contact [email protected] for further information. June Wednesday 8th June & Monday 20th June, Egleton Church Roost Counts This maternity roost holds large numbers of soprano pipistrelles; in 2015 up to 1000 bats emerged. Please meet at the church which is on the edge of Egleton village, at the western end of Rutland Water. Leader Jenny Harris; meeting times 9.00pm for 8th June and 9.15pm for 20th June. Parking is limited in the village so please book with Jenny on 01572 755274 or 07754 141785. (These are NBMP counts) Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June, Bradgate Park Wildlife Weekend Following on from the first successful Bradgate Park Wildlife Weekend last July, the Loughborough Naturalist's Club and Leicestershire and Rutland Ornithological Society are now planning a second event. The main focus of the event will be the displays / activities of the various participating wildlife groups, for which there will be no charge. This year, we will be housed in a marquee on the deer meadow adjacent to the Deerbarn Buildings in the centre of the park. LRBG will have a stand at this wildlife event aiming to raise the bat profile in the local community. July Saturday 9th July, Ketton, Bats and Glow-worms Bats we expect to see and hear include Pipistrelles, Daubenton’s at close quarters and, it is hoped, Noctules. Meet at 9.00pm Ketton. Leader: Jenny Harris. This is a bookable walk run by Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, so you will need to book in advance via the Upcoming Events page on the Trust’s website www.lrwt.org.uk. Wednesday 13th July, Bat Watch at Ashby Magna Pipistrelles inside and outside St Mary’s Church. Meet at the church in Ashby Magna, South Leics (OS: 563905) at 9.00pm. The bat watch will last for about 1 hour, finishing around 10.00pm. Leader: Elaine Carter, contact [email protected] for further information. August Wednesday 24th August, Bat Watch at Husbands Bosworth Canal at 8.30pm Daubentons roost in the tunnel, and emerge along the canal. (It is not possible to enter the tunnel). Please park considerately in the village. The bat watch will last for about 1 hour, finishing around 9.30pm. Leader: Elaine Carter, contact [email protected] for further information to book and for directions on where to meet. Saturday 27th August, Brown’s Hill Quarry Swarming Brown’s Hill Quarry, to watch Daubenton’s, Natterer’s and other bats emerging from the underground hibernation site. After emergence we stay until about 2 hours after sunset, as the ‘swarming’ behaviour of the bats round the tunnel entrance is an extraordinary experience. Meet at 7.45pm for the emergence and swarming. Park on the verge next to the nature reserve, at SK 741 236, about a quarter mile east of Holwell village. Bring warm clothes and something to sit on; we shall break after the first emergence to allow the bats time to return before we go back to the tunnel for the main swarming events, so you may like to bring refreshments too. This event involves sitting quietly in the dark so may not be suitable for children. Leader: Jenny Harris, contact 01572 755274 (h), 07754 141785 (m) or 0116 2629968 (w). September Friday 2nd September, Sunday 4th September 16th National Bat Conference This year the National Bat Conference will be held at the University of York. It is expensive but worth going to. Please check the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) website for further details. Sunday 4th September, Charnwood Lodge nature reserve (near Copt Oak) bat box checking 10am start, should end by around 1pm. Lots of different styles of bat boxes to check, mainly various woodcrete styles and some wooden ones, approximately around 50 boxes. Usually the autumn survey is good for pips, brown long-eareds, noctules and sometimes Leisler’s. Ideal for people currently training to get their bat license as you’ll get the chance to learn how to do bat box checks, open some boxes, use an endoscope and hopefully handle a few bats too. You must be rabies vaccinated if you wish to handle the bats. There will be a fair amount of walking so please bring a drink and snack with you. Booking essential – please call Nathalie on 07932 866197 or e-mail [email protected] Thursday 8th September, Bat Walk at Oadby Meet at Brocks Hill Environmental Centre, Oadby at 7.30pm Leader: Jools Partridge, contact Jools on 07799 677411 to book a place in advance.