Lakeside Survey

 Created 2009
Last Updated April 2021

Photo Jude Hirstwood

For insurance reasons, this survey is only open to Bat Group members.
We are only allowed to take eight members on each survey, so places must be booked with Soggy (details in newsletter). To give as many people a chance to visit this spectacular site it is not possible to make block bookings. Wrap up warm and bring a chair.

The Bedfordshire Bat Group has been monitoring this soprano pipistrelle maternity roost in Mid Beds since 1999 At the height of the season we  have got 1500 bats,but the number has fallen in recent years. We think they are using other roosts nearby  in the warmer weather but haven’t found them yet.

Maximum counts since 1999 ( No data for 2001 because of the Foot and Mouth Outbreak)

Roost numbers in 2018

As well as counting out large numbers of soprano pipistrelles ( over 1500 in 2013). Record numbers at Lakeside survey from a maternity roost we also get good sightings of Daubenton, Noctules and brown long eared bats, not to mention sparrowhawks, munjac and tawny owls. 2005-11-Sparrowhawk

You can see a 30 second clip of the video Angie took  here. http://youtu.be/xHhzD5Sw8EI

In recent years we have regular records of Serotines, Leislers ‘and Nathusius pipistrelles.The sonogram below was re4corded in April 2015 . if you look hard enough you can find seven species

How many species can you see? (c|) Bedfordshire Bat Group

How many species can you see? (c) Bedfordshire Bat Group

Dates for 2021

     

We are not publishing dates as because of covid restriction this survey is not open to non members,Members see page 20 0f newsletter