We had planned to go back to Priory for another attempt at trapping Nathusius’ pipistrelle. The Met Office kept changing the time when the thunderstorm would hit and in the end we decided to go ahead. Bob and Aidan both set up their harp traps and lures and the rest of us sat down to wait. I am currently on crutches and hobbled a few paces from the car to the recording point and sat with my pencil poised, with my leg resting on a stool trying not to look a total wally as folk strolling past tried to work out what on earth I was doing
One couple got chatting to Bob and went down to see a harp trap and had explained what we were up to. They were really interested. They eventually strolled off all set to book on a forthcoming bat walk and returned 30 minutes later, because while they were enthusing, the park gates were closed, fortunately Danny had a key and was able to let them out.
We filled in the time waiting trying out some of the different plums that grew in the park,
(Thanks Benjamin)
There were loads of insects about, but there was a real dearth of bats. We heard Noctule and Daubenton’s, but pips of any type were few and far between.
Photo Jude Hirstwood
We did catch a nice soprano pipistrelle, a sizable benevolent male who weighed 4.2 grams and was one of this year’s juveniles, which gave Joana and Ralph their first up lose look.
This raised our hopes but the Nathusius’ had their big guns on call. The sky began to light up with sheet lightning. At one point is was in three different direction, but the rain held off and we passed the time eating cake. A couple of the party tried photographing the lightning, but as a novice with crutches I haven’t yet mastered standing on crutches and taking a photo.
Then the lightning changed to the forked form, and while I marveled at the beauty of the storm, the rest of the team lept into the undergrowth to dismantle the harp traps QUICKLY before they got soaked or worse acted as a lightning conductors.
Lightning (c) Nick Crapnell
Meanwhile not that far up the road, Tim Crapnell managed some excellent photos – one of which I have pinched ( with his permission)
We cleared up in record time and drove out of the park, in the lashing rain,across steaming tarmac infested with toads, which I think we all managed to miss.It was classic horror movie stuff and I half expected to see Dracula loitering beside a bush.
I really appreciated the care people showed me. At one point Aidan sat near me and watched me closely. What a considerate man I thought. I was quickly disabused of this when he asked me if they were my own crutches. When I told him they were on loan from the hospital his face fell He had been sizing them up for use in his Mark 2 Harp trap which he is currently designing. Hey ho