A great bat talk and walk last night with thanks to Steve Parker from the South Lancs Bat Group for a entertaining and informative talk on these remarkable mammals and to all who set out despite the weather - it actually turned out to be a warm, still night with the rain holding off. You can read more of the work that South Lancs Bat Group does here http://www.slbg.org.uk/
A highlight of the evening was finally seeing a Daubenton's bat ( Myotis daubentonii ) flying low over Dove Stone reservoir. We've thought that Dove Stone must support Daubentons but this is the first time we've actually see one on one of our bat talks and walks. Check out this link for more info on Daubentons as well as other useful info from the Bat Conservation Trust http://www.bats.org.uk/publications_download.php/214/daubentons.pdf and this link too from the Natural History Museum http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/biodiversity/loss-of-habitat/myotis-daubentonii/index.html
The evening also gave us sights and sounds of Common pippistrelle, Noctule and Whiskered brandt as well as the sounds of Tawny owl - themselves natural predators of bats.
2011 is also the year of the bat. Check out the website: http://www.yearofthebat.org/
More soon...