The Kings Wood Bat Project

 

Updated Feb 2019

Members only.   (Members of other BCT Partner Groups are welcome to attend, space permitting)

We began this project in 2011, using boxes which were bought for us as habitat improvement paid for by the firm expanding the M1

We have 60 boxes to check so this is a long day. It involves walking miles, some of which is over rough terrain. Not suitable for people with limited mobility

We started ringing brown long eared bats  and Natterer’s and check the boxes monthly between April and November.

Checking boxes. Photo (c) Hedj Dollman

This is an ideal chance to see bats  close up and  or trainees to get some handling experience, (as long as you have up to date rabies vaccinations).

You can see more detail of what we have found by typing ” Kings wood. ” in the search box at the  top right of this page.

We are working out the social relationships between these bats, following  research done by North Bucks Bat Group in Finemere Wood and have identified three distinct colonies of brown long eared bat in the Kings Wood.

In 2018, following some nearest neighbour analysis, we think their may be 2 further subgroups We looked at the ring numbers of bats which were caught with other bats.

As we get more data the picture may become clearer

 

Photo Bob Cones

In  2017 Nicky began a project to see whether individual bats which have be ringed for the project can be distinguished by wing venation.Danny ‘s working  on a computer program to help her with the analysis danny3

She is continuing this research this year

All work is done under licence by Natural England .Contact Bob.

Dates for 2019

7 Apr    daytime
5 May   daytime
2 Jun    daytime
21 Jul    daytime
18 Aug  daytime
15  Sep  daytime
13 Oct   daytime

Start time will depend on weather

 

 

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