Herefordshire Bat Group

Public Meetings

NEXT EVENTS

Events coming up soon......................

December 2003/January 2004

Hibernation visits for members

January 31st

Box Building Day

February

Talk by the English Nature Species Officer & a Police Liason Officer

March

Introduction to county mammal surveys that you could do!

Booking neccessary!!

For further information please contact Rebecca Collins.

Mammal Conference

16th - 18th April 2004

Leicester

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All ages are welcome!! (Children must be supervised especially during outdoor events.)
There will be £1 entry fee and refreshments available at all indoor meetings.

Booking is always appreciated!

Surveys
We will be taking part in the National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) over the summer months, and the more hands (eyes and ears!) the better! If you would like to view or download a summary of the NBMP click here.

Summer maternity colony counts: lesser horseshoe, natterer's, brown long-eared, serotine and pipistrelle! Anyone can take part, and you won't have to use your fingers (or toes) because we have tally counters. You just need to keep your eyes open! If you know of a roost near where you live why not count that?

In 2000 we were lucky enough to count at a roost of over 800 pipistrelles!! But don't let that daunt you, small roosts are equally important (and easier to count!). In 2002 this same roost was home to 1382 soprano pipistrelles!!

Contact Rebecca Collins for details of organised counts!

Summer bat detector field surveys: daubenton's and noctule/serotine/pipistrelle. These are more involved, a transect being allocated by the NBMP and (at least) one bat detector is needed. If you have not taken part in a survey before it is advisable to accompany someone who has first. For safety reasons a minimum of two people should undertake each survey which also makes it easier!

Winter Hibernacula surveys: this is for a number of species, and something we are hoping to expand on. The main problem is that not many hibernation sites are known. They usually hibernate in sites such as caves, tunnels and cellars where the conditions are constantly cool, humid and undisturbed. They may also be found tucked into mortice joints of roof timbers, within wall cavities and the like. Keep your eyes peeled - these sites are extremely important so the more we know about the better!

In January 2003 a hibernacula in a cellar was found to home 99 lesser horseshoe!

Projects
Projects throughout the county are being developed.

Bat box scheme (hopefully in the region of 50 boxes) at Ast Wood, Ledbury.

A study of bat reliance on a collection of ancient trees in the Hereford area.

A survey of National Trust properties across the county, including Brockhampton Estate.

Surveys of the use of field margins and other areas on 6 Countryside Stewardship farms in Herefordshire, through FWAG.

As a partner in the county's Biodiversity Action Plan the group will be identifying bat feeding areas within parkland and the possible effects of ivermectins used in these parklands on bats.

On a slightly less grand scale….YOU CAN HELP!…….we are collecting drinks cans for recycling and earning some pennies for the group's funds at the same time. So help the environment and help us by collecting your cans! Please bring them along to the next event you attend.

Public Shows
We would like to put in an appearance at some local shows. These will be announced nearer the time.

See details of some of the stals we have held in the Chiropteran Chronicle.

Group Talks
I am happy to give talks, slide presentations and so on to any groups that are interested. I have visited a wide variety of groups including cub scouts, nature trust groups, WI and Probus clubs.

For further information or suggestions, sites etc. please use the form.