Wildlife Circus

10 species of bat are now recorded at the the Filter Beds site and the adjacent river side. This is more than any site in the borough, with 5 the greatest number for a Kingston site (with the exception of Canbury Gardens and riverside). A Myotis bat with the call characteristics of a Brandt's bat, was recorded along the river wall during the developers surveys. This is the first ever record of this species for the borough. The ten bat species now recorded at the site are as follows: Pipistrelle bats: all 3 of the following pipistrelle species were recorded during the surveys by EDP (acting for Hydro Properties): Pipistrelle bats are found wherever there is connecting local green space and there are  some large soprano pipistrelle roosts in Surbiton. Early registrations of this species are  associated with the northernmost  Filter Bed, and  includes occasional use of the small pumping station at Seething Wells, which the consultants do not  accept ...

Filter Beds, 2010 courtesy N. Jackman The winners of the S.W. Wildlife Competition have been  notified of their prizes. Thank you to those who also sent photos. One of the prizes, is a place on the London Bat Group/Community Brain Batty Boat Trip. The boat trip has been held annually (every June 8th) since 2006, in order to monitor the bat activity along the R. Thames between Steven's Eyot and Hampton Court Bridge. This type of 'time series' data is invaluable in monitoring the diversity of species, levels of bat activity and any change along this stretch of the river. We time the boat trip to be alongside Seething Wells, as the Daubenton's bats are 'light sampling ' within their roost. Over the years we have noted changes in the local bat population, especially a reduction in the number of species.  This includes the loss of serotine (now rarely recorded in the borough) and the decline in  Natterer's bat registrations, only ever recorded foraging arou...

Bats of Seething Wells additional articles regarding the Bats of Seething Wells   Kingston benefits from being encapsulated by RB Richmond and the river Thames. Kingston is 12% open space, whilst Richmond is 55% open space. The nature reserves in Kingston tend to be small linear parks along the rivers Hogsmill, Bonesgate and Tolworth brook. Woodland canopy cover is rare habitat in Kingston and tends to be restricted to Chessington and Kingston Vale. It is woodland that forms the primary habitat for many bat species all of which will usually spend some of their nights foraging near water. Bats require large areas of quality habitat, with strong linear features used for navigation and that are unaffected by light pollution. There are 17 bat species in the UK. Of these 10 are regularly recorded in the London Region, all of which are recorded in Richmond Borough (although two of these are only rarely found). Of the eight species recorded in Kingston: four are recorded regularly...