About this Event
Join Will Ponting (Wiltshire Bat Group) and Ben Welbourn (Conservation & Estates Manager, Cotswold Lakes Trust) to learn more of the bats of Cleveland Lakes and Waterhay.
Cleveland Lakes was well-studied throughout the Cotswold Water Park Bat Initiative (2005-2015) and this continues today. Further information on this project may be found here: Publications – Wiltshire Mammal Portal (wordpress.com). During this time, a diversity of bat species were recorded on the reserve ranging from common and widespread species such as Daubenton's bat and Noctule bat to rarer species such as lesser horseshoe and Nathusius' pipistrelle bat. Nathusius' pipistrelle bat is resident year-round at this reserve. Maybe we'll be lucky to hear one!
The evening will start at 6.30pm with a short introductory talk. The walk should then take around an hour and a half with plenty of opportunities for stopping at various points to spot and identify bats using bat detectors.
Start Location:
Please meet at Waterhay car park, which is located in the western section of the Cotswold Water Park, accessed from the A419, alongside the River Thames north of Cricklade and east of Ashton Keynes.
NGR: SU 06001 93317,
Googlemap marker https://maps.app.goo.gl/52Yjpv6VqdPFS8ry6.
Note that the usual parking charges will be waived for attendees of this event - please ensure that you give your car vehicle registration number to Ben Welbourn when you arrive. Please note there is a height barrier on the car park entrance.
This is a bat walk so it will be dusk or dark, small torches and good footwear are advisable and please leave dogs at home in their baskets. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets are limited and cost £5 this includes use of bat detectors and a donation to the group.
Bats don't like wind or rain, which means in the event of bad weather the bat walk might be cancelled. We'll circulate an email to attendees in the event that this walk is cancelled, so please check your inbox if the weather is a bit iffy.
Wiltshire Bat Group is a volunteer-led group with the aim of promoting bat conservation in Swindon and Wiltshire. All donations will go directly towards our conservation efforts. More information about us, what we do and how to get involved can be found on our website.
Image credits: Soprano pipistrelle bat (C) Daniel Hargreaves, Cleveland Lakes (C) Cotswold Lakes Trust
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Waterhay Car Park, Waterhay, Leigh, United Kingdom
GBP 0.00 to GBP 5.00
