Durham Bat Group Events

Gateshead Bat Survey - Tuesday 6th July

Following the extensive surveys carried out by Gibside, and the bat surveys and events held by ourselves over the past few years, there has been a fantastic amount of information collected regarding bats in the Derwent Valley.  However, records for the rest of the Borough are few to non-existent.  Besides this being a great shame, it also makes life quite difficult when responding to development consultations as there is little or no information to go on, especially as most development is occurring in the areas of fewest records.  To rectify this problem, we have chosen to focus this years efforts on a central band running north to south through Low Fell and on to Lamesley and Longacre Woods.  This area was also chosen as it guarantees a great nights bat viewing and good bat records due to its proximity to woodland and water courses.

We will be meeting at Gateshead Civic Centre (NE8 1HH) at 8:30pm.  From here we will split into groups of 4-5 per car and head off to allocated spots within the survey area.  Each group will include a good bat identifier (naughty bats will not be counted) and one local bod who knows the area so can act as a guide to the group.

We have quite an area to cover so we are hoping for a good turn out again this year.  Hope you can make it!

 

LIST OF EVENTS FOR 2010

Northern Bat Workers Conference 20 March 2009

The conference was well supported with delegates coming from as far away as Scotland and Middlesex.  A fascinating presentation on Urban Bats by Clare Rawcliffe and Nancy Irwin opened proceedings, ably followed by a session by Paul Lupton on mitigation. Workshops were held in the afternoon, and the conference was wound up by a hugely entertaining and informative presentation by Phil Richardson.  Thanks to all who attended, and to our sponsors  Northumbrian Water, Natural England and Newcastle Science Fest '10

Noctule Survey July 2009  Annual Middleton Survey  Bat survey on River Derwent June 2008

Many thanks to everyone who was involved with our major collaborative survey of bats on the River Derwent in 2008, and the Middleton and Noctule Surveys in 2009.  Now you can see the results by clicking on the links above.  Thanks also to Geoff Brown of Winlaton camera club for his photo of the Butterfly bridge before it was destroyed by floods on 6 Sept 2008, and to Michael at bridges on the tyne - a great site with loads of information (past and present) about many of our local rivers. And finally Ordnance Survey for OS OpenSpace which enabled me for the first time to use maps without having copyright problems.

Hamsterley Forest Batbox check 20 June

checking a bat box	no bats in this box
can you identify this bat?	or this one?

Directions for meetings and locations:

Thornley Woodland Centre is between Winlaton Mill and Rowlands Gill, on the A694
Chopwell wood: meet at the Lintzford car park on the A694
Rainton Meadows wildlife centre is near Houghton-le-Spring.
From the A690 turn off for FenceHouses on the B1284. Left at the
next roundabout, and the wildlife centre is about 1/4 mile further on.
The nature reserve is marked on the 1" OS Map.
Gibside is on the road between Rowlands Gill and Burnopfield.
Low Barnes is the Durham Wildlife Trust reserve just to the East of Witton-le-Wear.
Witton-le-Wear village is just off the A68 to the North-west of Bishop Auckland.
Middleton Field Study Centre is the old Middleton-in-Teesdale village school, just on the Durham side of the Tees on the road towards Mickleton.

Hamsterley Forest Bat Box Check: Meet at the site of the petrol pumps to the west of the forestry offices

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