Somerset Bat Group

Lots of bats at the bat boxes on the Somerset Levels including nathusius pips! Photos from Paul Kennedy.

Great news! Lush the cosmetics company have donated £1400 to the group to buy bat boxes for the levels, and surveying ladders. Thank you!
In addition, on 3/4th June the Lush Taunton store will be hosting a Charity Pot party event promoting the Bat Group, with sales of the Charity Pot products going as a donation the group.
It would be great if bat group folks could attend the event for an hour or two to help promote the work of the group and answer batty questions.
Do let us know if you can help out 3/4th June - [email protected]
https://www.lush.com/uk/en/shops/lush-cosmetics-taunton?id=UK085
https://weare.lush.com/lush-life/our-giving/charity-pot-the-essential-guide/

Charity Pot: The Essential Guide - We are Lush Charity Pot is a special hand and body lotion, launched in 2007 to raise funds for small grassroots charities, campaigns, and not-for-profit groups working in the areas of animal protection, human rights, and the environment. Charity Pot aims to help stretched and often overlooked organisations be a...

An excellent count today in South Somerset, 55 lesser horseshoes, 3 greater horseshoes and some very cryptic myotis. One of the ghs was ringed with an anodised gold ring which is likely from the ringing scheme at Beer Quarry in Devon

BAT BOX LEAD SURVEYORS NEEDED FOR THE WEST SOMERSET AREA

We've got a few sets of bat boxes around the county that were put-up in the 2000-teens but then haven't been checked for a number of years. We're keen for these boxes to be checked twice a year along with the other bat boxes around the county - May and September. The boxes are located in:

- Holford Keating, Quantock Hills. This is a small nature reserve along the river and there are 5 boxes.
- Huish Moor, Brendon Hills. Another small nature reserve which has 6 boxes.
- Ruggin, Blackdown Hills. Just off the Butterfly Conservation Nature Reserve and there are 4 boxes.

To monitor these boxes you will need a Level 2 Survey License and a half day (depending on travel time) in May and September to do the checks. The boxes are quite high and require a 5-stage ladder, but the bat group can provide you with a ladder if you don't have access to one.

Please email [email protected] to find out more details.

Another GLE in Somerset ...

Rare bat discovered by National Bats in Churches Survey volunteers in Somerset church - Bats In Churches Volunteers for the National Bats in Churches Survey have discovered one of the rarest mammals in Britain, the grey long-eared bat, in a church in Somerset.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-shropshire-60588271.amp

Spider recorded preying on bat in Shropshire artist's attic The discovery in a Shropshire attic is the first time this behaviour has been recorded.

This looks good, are you joining in?

BATS AND TREES - 2 days of talks and workshops Professional training courses and workshops for Tree Surgeons, arborists and consultants. A wide range of Tree Surgeon Courses and Tree Surgeon Training available

Hey all, Vincent Wildlife Trust are looking for Bat Reserve Roost Monitor Volunteers in mid-Somerset and BaNES to monitor Lesser and Greater Horseshoe Bats. Link below to find out more

https://www.vwt.org.uk/volunteer/

Volunteer – The Vincent Wildlife Trust Thank you showing an interest in sharing your time, skills and knowledge to contribute towards mammal research and conservation in Britain and Ireland. There are various ways that individuals can contribute to the ongoing vision of the Trust, and we recognise that the diversity of individuals who wi...