Bat ID Please

AJH748 · #1 (**permalink**) 23-06-2008, 09:53 PM

Hi

Can anyone identify this bat taken in my garden in North Lincs.
I''ve been trying to get a good pic of it for ages but this is the best so far

Thanks

Alan

Gill Catton · #2 (**permalink**) 24-06-2008, 09:34 AM

the trouble is with bats is that the different species can look quite similar and are very hard to identify by eye alone - particularly from a snapshot as you can't even watch for the way they fly. If you can get enough colour it might help as things like fur colour or having a white tummy can help with ID but otherwise you're going to struggle a bit really.

Unfortunately I'm not good enough on shape alone to guess this! Can you give an idea of size perhaps it is blue tit sized or starling sized??

Tracey.A · #3 (**permalink**) 24-06-2008, 09:20 PM

Hi, sorry I haven't a clue. You could buy a guide for British bats, which would tell you what species are likely to live in your neck of the woods. Other factors include type of habitat, size of bat, peak frequency, call frequency and so on - although you would need a bat detector for the latter. I've recently bought one and I love hearing the clicks and sounds that the bat makes. I am a complete novice, but I'm learning how interesting bats are. The Bat Conservation Trust is a brilliant organisation with lots of interesting facts, the web site address is - Bat Conservation Trust. Hope this helps and all the best with identifying your bat.

Tracey

wizzard · #4 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:22 PM

Sorry to Hijack your thread and from what's been said previously it's probably not possible, but can anyone i.d. this bat for me?

Wingspan was probably between 6 and 10 inches I'd guess and it was moving moving very fast so it's possibly smaller. It was out during the day catching mayflies, if that helps!

Kayleigh · #5 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizzard

Sorry to Hijack your thread and from what's been said previously it's probably not possible, but can anyone i.d. this bat for me?

Wingspan was probably between 6 and 10 inches I'd guess and it was moving moving very fast so it's possibly smaller. It was out during the day catching mayflies, if that helps!

Was this bat over water,or is it in the sky its hard to tell.

wizzard · #6 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:43 PM

It's over a river, which made me think it was one of the pips, but it looked a bit large, I always thought they were small, though I'm certainly no expert.

Meta menardi · #7 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

Was this bat over water,or is it in the sky its hard to tell.

Looking at the second pic, it looks like the lower part of the image is the reflection from water.

Daubenton's bat, water bat, Myotis daubentonii?

Kayleigh · #8 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meta menardi

Looking at the second pic, it looks like the lower part of the image is the reflection from water.

Daubenton's bat, water bat, Myotis daubentonii?

That's the one I was thinking of..

Meta menardi · #9 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJH748

Hi

Can anyone identify this bat taken in my garden in North Lincs.

The most common bat is Pipestrelle species, they are tiny (but can look bigger than they are). They are about the size, in the body, of the top of your thumb. We get loads round the house, they sort of steadily "Hawk" up and down, and in our garden they go round and round and round... and so on.

Got any ideas about size, mode of flight, time of emergence etc.?

wizzard · #10 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:52 PM

Thanks Meta menardi, Daubenton's bat seems a likely candidate after reading about it's behavior. I sat watching it for about 10 minutes and it studiously avoided any areas with ripples and the wingspan would seem right.

Coley · #11 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJH748

Hi

Can anyone identify this bat taken in my garden in North Lincs.
I''ve been trying to get a good pic of it for ages but this is the best so far

Thanks

Alan

Bat Man!!!

Kayleigh · #12 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coley

bat Man!!!

:d

:d:d:d:d:d:d

AJH748 · #13 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coley

Bat Man!!!

I think that's closest I'll get for now!

Thanks for all the replies, I will try and get a better look at it but it is always quite dark when it appears and it moves so fast!

It's even difficult to gauge the size as I don't really have much to compare it too, not having seen many bats.

Will post again if I can give any better details,

Ceers

Alan

wizzard · #14 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 05:18 PM

When your watching it try to compare it's size in relation to birds you see in the day. When I was trying to photograph bats I was scared to use the flash incase I scared them, or damaged their eyes, but I've since been told that they won't even react to the flash and it's unlikely to affect them. I never did manage to get a good bat shot though (my one is during the day, so that doesnt count

), they just move too fast.

djackso · #15 (**permalink**) 26-06-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracey.A

you would need a bat detector for the latter. I've recently bought one and I love hearing the clicks and sounds that the bat makes. I am a complete novice, but I'm learning how interesting bats are.

I was going to suggest this - I'd love to try this myself