Harp Trapping Ham Gate Pond Richmond Park



London Bat Group continue to participate in the National Nathusius’ Project during 2018. Four 3-bank harp traps and lures were purchased in May 2016 and a series of training events were organised.

A total of eight species of bat have been caught during the south-west London surveys so far including ringed Nathusius’ pipistrelle bats along with a few surprises - four noctules 2 Leisler’s bats and two small Myotis (Whiskered bats Myotis mystacinus).



 
So far in south-west London, survey sites have included Wimbledon Park, Richmond Park, Barwell Lake, Jubilee Wood, Sixty Acre Wood and Tolworth Court Farm Moated Manor site. Last Saturday we went to Ham Gate Pond at Richmond Park - the first bat caught was a Nathusius’ pipistrelle at 21.30 sufficiently early to be deemed roosting in trees nearby!


We also caught 6 juvenile common and soprano pipistrelles and this female Leisler's  bat - which played dead - a  sufficient length of time, for this shot taken by T. Hooker.


 
 
The following evening/early morning Mark and Jean Wagstaff assisted members of the Surrey Bat Group with radio-tracking a Nathusius’ pipistrelle that was monitored flying around the Hampton Court area.

 It was a highly mobile juvenile roosting behind very loose bark - as can be seen from Mark’s photo - on a dead tree at a very open location in a nearby park. The tag falls off after a 7-10 days, so the effort required for monitoring animals is quite intense for those few days before the tag is shed.


If you want to find out more about bats come along on some of the bat walks scheduled for August.












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