Bat Survey

For 4 nights between the 15th and 18th August 2018 Weybourne Atmospheric Observatory was used as a location in the Norfolk Bat Survey run by British Trust for Ornithology (www.batsurvey.org) with assistance from Andy Hind.

Below is a summary of the main findings.

The total number of recordings per night:

Night of recordingTotal number of recordings
15 Aug13
16 Aug15
17 Aug20
18 Aug17

Bat species detected:

Provisional analysis of the recordings detected the following species. The numbers relate to the number of bat passes rather than the number of individual bats.
Species
(click on name for further information)		Total number of passes (all nights)
Barbastelle
×

Barbastelle

Barbastelle The Barbastelle is a medium-sized bat, distinctive by its pug-shaped nose. The ears are broad, joined across its head by skin, and covered in gingery-brown fur on the rear surface. Barbastelle bats tend to forage over a wide area. They are fast, agile flyers and specialist foragers in a range of habitats, swooping to drink from ponds or lakes. (Photo by Nicholas Dulex)

8
Common pipistrelle
×

Common pipistrelle

Common pipistrelle The commonest of all British bat species. There are two very similar species, Common and Soprano pipistrelle. They are the bats that you are most likely to see. They appear fast and jerky in flight as they dodge about pursuing small insects which the bats catch and eat on the wing. (Photo by Amy Lewis)

 14
Daubenton's bat
×

Daubenton's bat

Daubenton's bat Daubenton's bat is a medium-sized species. It has a steady flight, often within a few centimetres of the water surface and is reminiscent of a small hovercraft. They usually take insects from close to the water and have even been seen taking prey directly from the water surface, using their large feet as a gaff or the tail membrane as a scoop. (Photo by Jan Svetlik)

1
Natterer's bat
×

Natterer's bat

Natterer's bat Natterer's bats have a slow to medium-paced flight, sometimes over water, but more often amongst trees, where their broad wings and tail membrane give them great manoeuvrability at slow speed. They normally fly at heights of less than 5m, but occasionally may reach 15m in the tree canopy. Much of the prey is taken from foliage and includes many flightless or day-flying insects. (photo by Jan Svetlik)

1
Noctule
×

Noctule

>Noctule The Noctule is one of the largest British species and is usually the first bat to appear in the evening, sometimes even before sunset. They fly in the open, often well above tree-top level, with repeated steep dives when chasing insects. This species can fly at 50kph. (Photo by Jan Svetlik)

12
Serotine
×

Serotine

Serotine The Serotine is one of Britain's largest bat species and usually one of the first to appear in the evening, often emerging in good light. Its broad wings and a leisurely, highly manoeuvrable flapping flight with occasional short glides or steep descents are distinctive. (Photo by Charlotte Packman)

9
Soprano pipistrelle
×

Soprano pipistrelle

Soprano pipistrelle The two commonest pipistrelle species found in the UK, the Common and Soprano pipistrelles, were only identified as separate species in the 1990s. The two species look very similar and often the easiest way to tell them apart is from the frequency of their echolocation calls. (Photo by Paul Wetton)

18


The full report on the Weybourne bat survey can be downloaded here.
(All data displayed are preliminary and have not been subject to quality control)
envSoft@uea.ac.uk 2020 Alex Etchells