National Nathusius’ Project

October 2019 marked the end of the fourth season where we have surveyed at sites across Cambridgeshire, on the hunt for Nathusius Pipistrelle Pipistrellus nathusii as part of a national project with BCT. We have recorded this species at around half of our sites during this time, and with exciting discoveries like the first female Nathusius’ recorded in 2016 and the capture of juveniles in 2017 at Fen Drayton Lakes, we are keen to carry on and see what new discoveries come our way. We would also like to radio track females at some point and see if they lead us back to any maternity roosts…

 

Monks Wood

During 2016-2018 a range of surveys were carried out at Monks Wood National Reserve to see what species of bat were present, where they were roosting, if they were breeding in the area, and how they were using the habitat. Data was collected by group members through walked transect surveys, emergence surveys, mist netting and harp trapping, radio tracking and the use of infra-red cameras. Several new roosts of Barbastelle have been recorded, as well as the identification of key foraging areas, and a highlight for our side-line small Myotis project – Whiskered bat!

 

Wandlebury Country Park

During 2017 and 2018 the bat group worked with Cambridge Past Present and Future at Wandlebury Country Park to collect basic information on bat species present and a bit about how they use the site. This was done by several walked transect routes around the site at several times during the season, and resulted in the identification of at least 7 species of bat, including Barbastelle! The information collected will be used to help inform habitat management plans for the site.