Pipistrelle bat

[Fraxinus]

Found this little fella on the decking at a clients house this morning, did not appear to be injured, just cold. So put him in an old bird box to keep the wind off and out in the sun. Less than an hour later he had flown away. Not much bigger than a 9 volt battery and very cute, took just one pic so as not to disturb him too much.

Rob.

 

[Toddy]

Excellent to spot him and to catch a photo too. Nicely done putting it somewhere safe to warm up

We have bats here in the trees alongside the garden, the local countryside rangers are supposed to be coming to visit with a recording gizmo. Interested to see what's actually there. I can hear two different high pips, but no idea which belongs to which species.

Thanks for the photo.
M

 

[John Fenna]

Cute!
I love bats
We have a visiting colony of Pips in our roof and I love it when I see the droppings on the windowsills and can stand in the garden watching them fly out of an evening (why do they always turn left on leaving the roost?) to decimate the insect population.
I used to enjoy going on canoe cruises on the Mon&Brec canal along with the "Batman" and his magic box that made the bats squeaks audible to the human (and my) ears.
It used to be that every year when I was in foriegn parts on exped a bat used to get in the house to keep my wife company for at least one evening...
Our next door neighbor once found a baby Pip in a clean terry nappy fresh from the airing cupboard... Cute - but it freaked her out

 

[Herbalist1]

Amazing creatures and not often that you get the chance to see them close up. Years ago I had to rescue a long eared bat from my cat. Only time I've handled a live bat, against the law but I think justified under the circumstances. Fortunately bat was unharmed and after being allowed to recover from shock, happily flew off.

 

[Goatboy]

Excellent work. Remember that it's worthwhile wearng gloves and washing your hands after handling bats. They can be vectors for rabies amongst other things.
Love watching them flit around my house in the evening and they keep the bug life to a minimum.
Mind years ago when inheriting my new Forest office. There was an old phonebook with all sorts of important numbers. Reading through it with a coffee one morning I got to the "B's"... The first name and number written in there in bold block capitals was BATMAN. The childish glee in my heart, I so wished that it meant that I was some woodland comissioner Gordon and I had the number to a Caped Crusader. I then decided that he must be sick fed up of folk ringing up doing that.
He was a heck of a nice chap and showed me all sorts of things pertaining to bats.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.

 

[Robson Valley]

There's a fungus which is killing North American bats by the millions, called "White Nose." Respiratory, I think. Any such problem in the UK?

 

[Harvestman]

There's a fungus which is killing North American bats by the millions, called "White Nose." Respiratory, I think. Any such problem in the UK?

Not yet, so far as I know.

Last week i was invited to do a walk around Raglan Castle to look for bats with the local scout troop. I agreed, expecting about 3 leaders and 20 scouts or so. It must have been well advertised, because I had 50+ children and nearly as many adults, The count totalled 94 people, not including the scout leaders! Was a good evening, and despite the lateness of the season we got plenty of bats.

 

[mick91]

Great picture that! I've been sitting out tonight watching the bats darting about, seems only me unable to hear them mind

 

[Robson Valley]

I used to have good hearing 40+ years ago. In the outback, the Australian bats had a "cruising chirp," regular as a clock.
I could find those bats with a spotlight.
Encountering prey, I suppose, the chirp rate rose quickly and the frequency quickly whistled above what I could hear.

Don't feel too bad Mick91, I can't hear a dang thing over 4k anymore.