Last night it was agreed with my son-in law and myself would do a bat walk around our area to see if we could find any new bat species for the area. So armed with the bat detector and torches we surveyed Caldene Fields first and immediately found about 4 Common pipistrelle which has a frequency of 45kHz. Now hands up I am not a bat expert and when we got to the pond at Raw Nook NR the bat detector picked a number of frequencies of around 45kHz and these bats were flying low over the pond – so I jumped and thought of Daubenton’s bat. Sadly I was wrong they were all Common pipistrelle.
However, I picked up a single Soprano pipistrelle frequency of 55kHz near to the meadow at Raw Nook NR. Toad Holes beck held a few Common pipistrelle only. So whilst nothing new was found the walk was fun and went some way to helping me understand what species of bats and their status are at our recording area.
Talking of new species I found this caterpillar today at Caldene Fields……It turns out to be a Buff Tip moth caterpillar ( a site first) proving the species breeds in our area – and what is strange I have never one caught in the moth trap!
Also of interest today at Toad Holes Beck was a newly emerged Souther Hawker Dragonfly which means the species is breeding at the site as well as Caldene Fields
