Events
We would like to continue the success of last year, with another varied and exciting programme this year.
If you would like to expand your knowledge of bats and learn more about their behaviour, consider joining one of our regular evening guided walks in and around Norwich.
Members can also develop their survey skills in the training sessions that we run for the National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP). The NBMP contributes to the conservation of bats by tracking changes in bat populations in the UK with the assistance of a volunteer network. The data collected by volunteer surveyors is used to indicate annual and long-term population changes in some species.
Enthusiastic members are always welcome to help on our stand raising awareness of bats to the public, at local wildlife events that we attend.
Latest News
Bat box checks at Sheringham Park
Recently, some members of the Norwich Bat Group helped out with the annual Sheringham Park bat box check. Over one hundred boxes were checked and a total of 65 bats were recorded. We were lucky enough to see soprano pipistrelles, Natterer's, brown long-eareds and a few noctules.
Thanks to Keith Zealand from the National Trust for giving us the opportunity to help out on this enjoyable and interesting day.
Last bat walk of the year
For the last bat walk of the year we started at Eaton and walked along the River Yare towards the UEA broad. The evening was cold and there were not many insects out; however, we did manage to listen to several common pipistrelles and a strange sounding Daubenton's over the broad. Fortunately, we had Richard Moores with us who could analyse the recordings at home and he confirmed it was a Daubenton's bat though he agreed it sounded a little peculiar in the field!
We look forward to seeing you all again next year and keep checking the webiste for our winter events.
New Bat Detectors
We would like to say a special THANK YOU to Ecology Consultancy Ltd. for buying two new bat detectors for the Group. The detectors were put into good use at our last meeting and are currently being used by two of our members who are trying to find a noctule roost in Lion's Wood.
Bat Courses in Wales
We would like to say a special THANK YOU to Nick Bonsall and Access Ecology Ltd. for inviting several members of the Norwich Bat Group to some weekend training courses in Wales.
Nick's courses were informative and enjoyable, we had the opportunity to listen to lesser horseshoe bats and locate several roosts, including this Daubenton's tree roost.
Thanks again Nick!
Dates For Your Diary
Plans for the winter:
Unfortunately, bats go into hibernation soon so there will be no guided walks until April next year, but don't panic, there will be some talks about bats over the winter period.
Chris Vine from the Cambridgeshire Bat Group will be doing a talk about some of the bat-related research going on in his county.
Sam Phillips from the Norwich Bat Group will be doing a talk about Bats in Slovakia.
Of course, we will still be having one or two socials during the winter months.
All dates and venues to be confirmed.
For a list of past events please see our newsletter.