We encourage our volunteers to continually develop their knowledge and learn more about the wildlife of the Glaslyn Valley. Recently we held a bat education evening in the John Parry Hide for our volunteers. Ecologists Tanya Cobb and Jack Halpin gave us an interesting presentation about British bats before we moved outside to test out our bat detectors.
The group were able to watch the many bats flying over the river and in front of the Visitor Centre using the specialist equipment that Tanya and Jack had bought along with them. A thermal camera allowed us to see the Daubenton’s bats flying over the river as well as hearing their amazing echolocation calls on the detectors.
A total of 965 calls were recorded from seven bat species:
- Common pipistrelle
- Soprano pipistrelle (over 900 calls were Sopranos – they were really chatty while flying around the disabled carpark!)
- Daubenton’s bat
- Whiskered/Brandt’s bat (these two species cannot be separated by call)
- Natterer’s bat
- Brown long-eared bat
- Lesser horseshoe bat
Thank you to Tanya and Jack for giving us a fascinating insight into some of the wildlife that inhabits the Glaslyn Valley after dark and giving all those that attended a very memorable evening.
