Bat Sanctuary

[Lord John]

Hi all,
I'm hoping to setup a small Bat Sanctuary in a small woodland plot just over 1000 sq ft that I own in Duror, Lochaber, North West Scotland. I hope to set up the Sanctuary over the next few years.

Picture of my Woodland Plot

The woodland is on a side of a small hill with views across to the mountains to the North of my woodland plot and dense Coniferous pine forest to the west, south & East of my plot. View north from my plot.



There are a few questions I would like to ask if anyone out there might be able to help me with.

1) What is the minimum height I can site a Bat boxes on the trees on my plot?

2) As far as I know there are 9 Species of bat in Scotland but which species of bats are the most likely to use the Bat boxes?

3)What is the best direction that the boxes should be sited on the trees i.e north,east,south,west facing?

As well as putting up Bat boxes my main project, I also hope to put up a few Bird, Squirrel, Owl & Insect etc. in my small woodland also.

4) What are the most common types birds, Insects & animals that I am likely to get in my woodland so that I can plan what to put up as well as the Bat boxes.

5) Can some of the other boxes be sited on the same tree as the bats boxes if so which?

Thanks for any help with my questions.

Regards John

[thunder]

1) What is the minimum height I can site a Bat boxes on the trees on my plot?

If your site is free from public disturbance, there probably isn't any minimum height, but on the whole, the higher the better. Try the most convenient height that you can reach with your ladder.

2) As far as I know there are 9 Species of bat in Scotland but which species of bats are the most likely to use the Bat boxes?

Long-eared and Pipistrelle

3)What is the best direction that the boxes should be sited on the trees i.e north,east,south,west facing?

In the arc between south east and south west. If you have plenty of boxes, a few facing north will provide an extra set of climatic conditions.

As well as putting up Bat boxes my main project, I also hope to put up a few Bird, Squirrel, Owl & Insect etc. in my small woodland also.

Be aware that squirrels and owls may interfere with bat boxes!

4) What are the most common types birds, Insects & animals that I am likely to get in my woodland so that I can plan what to put up as well as the Bat boxes.

How long is a piece of string? Best to do some survey work to see what you have, not guess what you might have.

5) Can some of the other boxes be sited on the same tree as the bats boxes if so which?

Best not to put bird boxes close to bat boxes - you will get tits and others nesting and roosting in your bat boxes, and I suspect this may be more common if the two types of boxes are close together. Keep your owl boxes (if any) well away from bat boxes!

henrya

[Lord John]

Hi Henrya,

Great I like Brown Long-eared Bats and Pipistrelles but was hoping that the rare Noctule bats may also visit the site as the area is rich in insects and small birds.

We will try to site them as high as practicably possible on my site to reduce the risk of disturbance even though not many people visit the wood, only other plot holders as it is a Private woodland. We hope also to put up a few notices around the edge of the plot warning others not to disturb the area as it is a Bat Sanctuary.

If we put up any bird boxes then we will site them away from the trees with the bat boxes or even put them on other plots we own well away from the intended Bat Sanctuary.

It will take a couple of years before our site is up and running properly as we have to survey the site properly and mark out the plot with boundary posts.
Make a plan of the plot and which trees are suitable for sitting the Bat Boxes.

Thanks for your advice regard John

[valleyforge]

Sounds like a very commendable project you've set yourself Lord John.

Not sure you'll see any Noctules there in Lochaber though ... it's a bit too far north of their normal range ... and I've not heard of any having been recorded north of the Forth/Clyde.

[Lord John]

Hi Valleyforge,

Thanks for the kind remark
Yes bought the plot of land a couple of years ago now.
Went on holiday this year to Duror to see exactly what I had bought from Lochaber Highland Estates.

Found the plot was in an Ideal location for conservation projects and decided that it would be an Ideal spot for bats as it is on the side of a hill and abundant in insects. Also have not heard of many projects for bats in Scotland.

I have a pal who is in to Bat and he has taken his Bat detector out on many fishing trips with me and I found them fascinating to watch and listen to on the detector too!

Hopefully it will go ok and we get bats there.

Regards John

[valleyforge]

Ah right ... Lochaber Highland Estates ... now I understand the significance of your title, your lairdship.

Lochaber is the ancestral home of my clan, and I was aware that it was being sold off in wee bits, though wasn't tempted to partake myself ... I got a bit of a hebridean island instead.

Still, I like your plans and hope you get the best out of your plot.

[Lord John]

Lol yes Valleyforge,
I bought a wee bit of there estate as it came with a mile of the rights to fish river Spean. Being a keen Angler I thought this was a good deal for a 1000 sq ft of forest and a mile of river fishing.

I also like visiting the west coast of Scotland as its my favorite part of the country. The title bit of the deal was just a bit of fun but found that it was perfectly legal to use so have made use of that too lol.

So your clan originated in the Lochaber area thats interesting which clan.

I Also found out that I have a conections to the area as my great great Grandmother Catherine Gore origanally came from the Lochaber area before she married a welsh man and moved to wales.

Must be great owning part of the hebridean islands do you have any projects of your own on the land you own?

regards John

[valleyforge]

Originally Posted by Lord John

So your clan originated in the Lochaber area thats interesting which clan.?

I belong to Clan Donald (clann dhomhnuill), who didn't as such originate in Lochaber, but held it under the Lordship of the Isles, along with the Outer and Inner Hebrides, Ross, Cromarty, much of Inverness-shire, the Kintyre peninsula, and Antrim in Northern Ireland.

In Lochaber, the clan is still represented by the MacDonnells of Keppoch.

Originally Posted by Lord John

Must be great owning part of the hebridean islands do you have any projects of your own on the land you own?

I hold title to only 10 square metres of one of the small islands in the Sound of Raasay, north of Skye ... not enough to do anything with ... but more than enough to ensure that the island stays undeveloped and wildlife remains undisturbed.

Luckily, I have a fair bit more land here in Aberdeenshire.

[canis.rufus]

Hiya,

I don't like to disagree with Henrya's advice, but depending on what type of bat box you are using you might find that putting tit boxes next to the bat boxes is beneficial.

All the bat box schemes I am involved in (in Bucks) use Schwegler, which are the gold standard for boxes; very successful, but rather expensive. Recently we have started putting basic wooden tit boxes next to them. The tits prefer the bird boxes, and because they are territorial they stop other birds from using the bat box next door, leaving it free for bats! We need a few more years to be sure, but there has been a marked change in the couple of years since we put them up.

There is a small cravat that this has worked for the 2F and 2FN type boxes, but the birds seems to prefer the 1FD boxes over the bird boxes. I also don't know if it would work for other types of bat boxes.

Good luck with what sounds to be a very worthwhile project.

- Toby.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by canis.rufus

Hiya,


All the bat box schemes I am involved in (in Bucks) use Schwegler, which are the gold standard for boxes; very successful, but rather expensive. Recently we have started putting basic wooden tit boxes next to them. The tits prefer the bird boxes, and because they are territorial they stop other birds from using the bat box next door, leaving it free for bats! We need a few more years to be sure, but there has been a marked change in the couple of years since we put them up.

There is a small cravat that this has worked for the 2F and 2FN type boxes, but the birds seems to prefer the 1FD boxes over the bird boxes. I also don't know if it would work for other types of bat boxes.

Good luck with what sounds to be a very worthwhile project.

- Toby.

This is an interesting approach - hope it works and look forward to seeing some data published The territory thing ought to work - just as long as the birds don't move into the bat boxes for second or third broods. Maybe the bats will then move into the used bird boxes

henrya

[canis.rufus]

It certainly seems to, there have been no bird nests at all in the bat boxes since we put them up. The main issue seems to be the long term viability of the wooden bird boxes, as they are unlikely to last as long as the woodcrete bat ones.

Another point for the OP would be that unless someone is able to monitor the boxes regularly (at least yearly, needs a licence), you might like to pick a self cleaning design such as the Schwegler 1FF (although if you are planning check them, it is a pain to get bats out of these without them escaping!) or a self cleaning wooden design.

Otherwise, the boxes can quickly fill up with birds nests, or bat droppings, making the box unusable.

Have fun - Toby.

[Lord John]

Originally Posted by canis.rufus

Hiya,

I don't like to disagree with Henrya's advice, but depending on what type of bat box you are using you might find that putting tit boxes next to the bat boxes is beneficial.

All the bat box schemes I am involved in (in Bucks) use Schwegler, which are the gold standard for boxes; very successful, but rather expensive. Recently we have started putting basic wooden tit boxes next to them. The tits prefer the bird boxes, and because they are territorial they stop other birds from using the bat box next door, leaving it free for bats! We need a few more years to be sure, but there has been a marked change in the couple of years since we put them up.

There is a small cravat that this has worked for the 2F and 2FN type boxes, but the birds seems to prefer the 1FD boxes over the bird boxes. I also don't know if it would work for other types of bat boxes.

Good luck with what sounds to be a very worthwhile project.

- Toby.

Hi Toby,
Thanks for the info I think that sounds a good Idea to use tit boxes next door to the batboxes I think I will try this Idea, If it works on other bat sites it should work on our site too then.


There are many types of Bat boxes out there and choosing the right one for the job looks like it going to be trial and error. As we will most likely not be checking batboxes other than looking for droppings to tell if they are being used by bats. Also as we are only visiting the site for maintainance once or twice a year. We will most likely trial a solid type of bat box as no access door for inspection would be required.

We also hope to plant wildflowers in our plot to help the insect life providing the Bats & the Birds with more food by plant wild flowers like bluebells etc.

Putting up insect houses for insects, Butterfly boxes & Insect Theatres for inspecting insects.
Insect House providing shelter for insects.
Butterfly House to provide winter roost sites for butterflies.
Insect Theatre for inspecting what insects are using the area.

Hopefully by adding these other projects to our site will help our chances of creating a perfect environment for the Bats.

Regards John

[The Woodman]

You might wish to consider a very popular type of bat box that I first came across on Bat Conservation International's website. In their bathouse builders handbook they detail what they call the basic bat house. I have made at least two hundred of these simple but effective boxes and can unreservedly recommend them, especially for both species of pipistrelle.

Basically, two pieces of plywood and three pieces of slate batten are all you need. I have a descriptive sheet and will send it to you if you PM me an email a/d. Thay are self cleaning, easy to inspect with a torch from ground level (depends on hanging angle) and cannot harbour roosting or nesting birds.

I am involved with several schemes using Schwegler designs and I think, from memory, the majority of them have been used by birds at some time. I'm not a fan of the wire hanger on the 2F boxes. I cut the twisted nail loop off and form a loop at the ends of the two side wires. The box will sit more comfortably on the tree that way.

[Lord John]

Originally Posted by valleyforge

I belong to Clan Donald (clann dhomhnuill), who didn't as such originate in Lochaber, but held it under the Lordship of the Isles, along with the Outer and Inner Hebrides, Ross, Cromarty, much of Inverness-shire, the Kintyre peninsula, and Antrim in Northern Ireland.

In Lochaber, the clan is still represented by the MacDonnells of Keppoch.



I hold title to only 10 square metres of one of the small islands in the Sound of Raasay, north of Skye ... not enough to do anything with ... but more than enough to ensure that the island stays undeveloped and wildlife remains undisturbed.

Luckily, I have a fair bit more land here in Aberdeenshire.

Hi Valleyforge,

Even though you may only have 10 sq metres your still doing your bit to protect the environment from being spoilt which is a commendable act anyway protecting the wildlife of the sounds of Raasay.
Regards John