The Bat Conservation trust has started up it's national bat counting survey agin this year and I have signed up to do a 'secret' colony to submit. It was a visual survey, which I aided myself by using a bat meter too to hear them coming when it got too dark to see.
The method was to select a known colony of bat, I chose Lesser Horseshoe, and arrive just before sunset to set up and then await the first bat emergence. This time was recorded and then each subsequent signting was noted...if bats returned to their roost then this was counted also, to be later subtracted from the emergence to gain the total....geddit??
There was a good show, about 16 bats in total...of which two I was unsure about (basically did not emit any ultrasound at the 109 kHz which picks up Lesser Horseshoes). They also put on a fantastic show above my head foraging for flying insects.
Prior to going to Europe I'll be conducting a more in-depth survey within a selected grid square to plan then walk a route. The idea is to create 'stop points' to then scan the area with the aid of a bat meter for any potential bats out on the town looking for a good time.
Should be interesting to navigate the route whilst dark, so I'd better eat my carrots!
What's a bat meter?? Have a look here http://www.magenta2000.co.uk/kits/bat-detector-mk2b.htm
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