Bat ID

[King Edward]

Can anyone put a name to this bat, or is that just not possible given the poor quality of the photos (heavily cropped)? It was flying around over an oilseed rape field beside a pond at around 5pm a couple of days ago in the bright sunshine, and then settled on a telegraph pole. The flight was fairly slow and fluttery, at a height of maybe 10-20 feet above the ground.

[htcdude]

Here's your images:




I can't help with the ID I'm afraid, however I can safely say it it not a Cricket Bat or a Baseball Bat.

Nige

[Charlesbeams]

Pipistrelle? sorry, only bat i know

[nightshade]

I think it is a Noctule, but I have not seen one in flight that shows such prominent ears. So I may be wrong. I usually see them high up with the Swallows

[King Edward]

Sorry, I should have said earlier that this looked very small (tiny really). On size alone I don't think it can be a Noctule.

[PMG]

I'm pretty sure its a Pipistrelle but when Woodman comes on he will know for sure

[The Woodman]

Mmm...

Not the easiest mammals to ID from images that don't show the important features that I'd like to see before committing myself!

The tragus is the first thing I look at in a small bat species - being the pipistrelles, whiskered and Brandt's. Next would come the post carcarial lobe then the other stuff. By the way, the FSC / Aidgap fold out guide and pictorial key is a useful publication to have for a couple of quid.

What we can see is wing shape, resting attitude, fur colour and facial shape and membrane colour reasonably well.

The observed flight time is unusual, however bats do fly in the daytime for a number of reasons, roost disturbance or young bats taking their first flights come to mind here.

I don't think it's a noctule, nightshade, due to the short resting body length, brown fur rather than golden brown and wing shape. King Edward also mentioned its size as small / tiny.

I think it's a pipistrelle and might venture to suggest it's a soprano pipistrelle due to the shape of its nostils and apparent pinker rather than darker brown muzzle. However, the last details aren't entirley clear on my screen and I would be happy with "a pipstrelle".

[King Edward]

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions, especially The Woodman for his detailed reply. This bat didn't seem especially disturbed, since it was flying around for ages apparently feeding, and also drinking from the pond (at least, I assume the drinking bat was the same one, it may not have been). I'll put it down as a Pipistrelle sp. (?).

[nightshade]

Originally Posted by The Woodman

Mmm...

Not the easiest mammals to ID from images that don't show the important features that I'd like to see before committing myself!

The tragus is the first thing I look at in a small bat species - being the pipistrelles, whiskered and Brandt's. Next would come the post carcarial lobe then the other stuff. By the way, the FSC / Aidgap fold out guide and pictorial key is a useful publication to have for a couple of quid.

What we can see is wing shape, resting attitude, fur colour and facial shape and membrane colour reasonably well.

The observed flight time is unusual, however bats do fly in the daytime for a number of reasons, roost disturbance or young bats taking their first flights come to mind here.

I don't think it's a noctule, nightshade, due to the short resting body length, brown fur rather than golden brown and wing shape. King Edward also mentioned its size as small / tiny.

I think it's a pipistrelle and might venture to suggest it's a soprano pipistrelle due to the shape of its nostils and apparent pinker rather than darker brown muzzle. However, the last details aren't entirley clear on my screen and I would be happy with "a pipstrelle".

No scale to go by and no mention that it was a small bat! ....... Ref!

[The Woodman]

This is what I took to be a reference that it was a small bat, albeit in a later post than the original...

"Sorry, I should have said earlier that this looked very small (tiny really). On size alone I don't think it can be a Noctule."

I'll agree with you, nightshade, bats aren't the easiest animals to ID from images.