2nd September 2010

Bats of the Blackwater

Daubenton's Bat Sorry - this event is now fully booked!
If you’ve never seen a bat swooping low to catch an insect in the half light after dusk you’ve missed out on an unforgettable experience. Why not come along and learn about the bats found in the Blackwater Valley on a special bat walk from Sandhurst Memorial Park on
Friday 17th September, led by Steve Bailey of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust.

Britain is home to 16 bat species, three of which you may encounter, Pipistrelles and Daubenton’s (also sometimes known as Water Bats) both with a wingspan
between 19-25cm, are regulars,
but it is possible that you may see the more elusive and larger Noctule, with a wingspan of 33-45cm.

During the walk there will be an opportunity to listen
to the bats’ high frequency ultrasonic calls – known as echolocation – using a bat detector. Bats emit high-pitched squeaks as they fly, using the pattern of the returning echoes to locate their prey: the moths, flies and midges they feed on.
Each species uses a slightly different frequency, which a detector will transform into sounds audible to humans.

Anyone wishing to come along should phone 01252 331353 to register their interest. The walk starts from Sandhurst Memorial Park car park, Yorktown Road, Sandhurst GU47 9BJ at 7pm start and will last about two hours. The walk is free but donations to the Trust are welcome. Families welcome and please bring a torch.

The Blackwater Valley Countryside Trust is a charity registered in 2006. It works closely with the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership to promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the Blackwater Valley. Find out more by visiting www.bvct.org.uk

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For more information contact:
Christine Reeves, Visitor Promotions Officer on 01252 331353.
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership,
Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU11 2PS