Bats

[Pippa]

Hope it's ok to put this here.

We have been watching Bats this past few weeks and it has been a wonderful experience.We just stand at our back door and get this wonderful display.I haven't a clue what kind they are and they fly so quietly and fast.
We only spotted them by accident one night, as we back onto a field and since then every night at around 9pm we go spy.Fantastic.

Are there any Bat watchers here.Please forgive me if i am in the wrong place

[galanthus]

I love bats, was due to go for an organised bat walk this evening but feeling really ill so a bedding-down in store for me instead.

[Pippa]

Originally Posted by galanthus

I love bats, was due to go for an organised bat walk this evening but feeling really ill so a bedding-down in store for me instead.

Hope you feel better soon G.We haven't spotted any tonight but it is so windy.

[Jonners]

Hi Pippa
I have seen bats by the edge of the forest, and they're always fascinating to watch. There I have seen small ones, which I guess are Pipistrelles, and larger ones which flap along much slower, and which I tried to photograph:

We did once go down for a guided Bat walk at a nearby Wildlife Trust Reserve. We went out with bat detectors, which were small radio receivers which you could tune to different frequencies to hear the different bats' echo locating. Apparently different species echo locate at different frequencies, so by retuning, you can tell which species of bats are flying around you! Amazing, but the bits of kit start at around £60 I think. Very interesting though

[Carl]

Hey Pippa/all
I`m alover of bats too, and pippa the ones you would have seen are pippistelles, you can here there echolocation by using a bat detector, i was doing like my own bat survey work for a while and found out that they hadnle go out when it`s raining,and it`ll be the same for when it`s windy i guess as they don`t way that much and will hit houses and stuff.
If you want to here what they and other bats sound like in a bat detector check my vids on youtube.
I put them up to encourage people to get into bats,and been fasinated liek me,i used to watch them in the garden without a bat detector and it`s just beutiful.
One memory i have is when i went out bat detecting with my parents and we heard nothing until we was on our way back then i stopped ot listen to the bat and saw this moth in front of me in the light of the lampost and then this bat flew and grabbed him and all you could see was the dust from the moth i guess.Was beautiful.

And yes jonners is correct you tune your bat detector to different frequencies to here bats.

YouTube - Bats Echolocation-Pipistrelle Bat 18

Hope you get into bat detecting like me, it`s a worthwhile hobby.It`s also fun trying to find them when you can here them and then they appear out of nowhere.

[Pippa]

Thankyou Carl and Jonners.Great pic too.

We have a couple of pics but boy it was so hard getting them.

It is so windy again tonight so no Bats

[pegasus]

Originally Posted by Pippa

Thankyou Carl and Jonners.Great pic too.

We have a couple of pics but boy it was so hard getting them.

It is so windy again tonight so no Bats

Hiya Pippa----like you ,love watching the Bats at dusk flying in the garden and between the houses.Occasionally they fly quite close to your head which is is exciting[sounds a bit childish but who cares!]---Like all non-'Batters' i assume they are Pipistrelles.

[The Woodman]

Pippa, you've a good bat group in Durham. Have a look at their website

Durham Bat Group entry page

and then join!

[Tracey.A]

Hi Pippa, I'm bats about bats as well They really are beautiful to watch. I've got a bat detector, it's quite a learning curve, but such a joy to hear them. I got mine from my local RSPB centre, I think it cost between 50 or 60 pounds. I think my bats live underneath a bridge that is next to us and in some of the trees. I don't ever see any when it's raining or if it's windy, but on calm evenings, it's just lovely

Tracey

[thunder]

Wind seems to put bats off far more than rain does - though they do seem to spend less time out when it is raining (and who would blame them!). But whatever 'rules' there are about bat behaviour, you can be sure that the bats will ignore them if and when they feel like it .

henrya