Bat night

7^th September 2007

33 adults and children joined John Woolliams at Leafield Woodland on a warm clear windless night: just the right conditions to see bats and hear their cries using a bat detector.

Moths rose from the hazel coppice as John Woolliams gave a short introductory talk about native bats; then as the light faded, 2 common pipistrelle bats swooped over the glade and began to feed. More pipistrelles settled over the mature ash tree by the gate, making short excursions along the field hedge, catching insects as they rose above the foliage. Several bats remained in and around the ash crown for a long period, possibly communicating with lower frequency cries as well as using higher pitched echo location cries for hunting.

Many thanks to John Woolliams for another enjoyable Bat Night at the Community Woodland.

2007 news index