Brown long-eared bats hibernate in a hide

27 January 2020

Survey of wintering bat population on Sunday showed four brown long-eared bats using the Sand Martin hide, along with other wildlife.

We did a hibernacula (winter hibernation) count on Sunday. In the Sand Martin hide we found four brown long-eared bats the highest count here since bats started using a hide in 2016.

Last winter only two bats were using the space.Along with the bats we found butterflies and moths hibernating in the relatively cool, humid environment. Roosting wrens and blue tits have been sheltering in the empty sand martin burrows and voles and mice nest inside too.

Recent sightings by wardens around the reserve:

Mon 27 Jan

Arun Riverlife: 3 pochard, 1 little grebe.

Lapwing hide: 13 greylag geee, 20 mallard, 4 teal, 2 gadwall, 3 shoveller, 1 lapwing.

Ramsar hide: 42 snipe, 2 lapwing, pochard 8, 1 kingfsher, 2 Egyptian geese.

Hedgerows near visitor centre: firecrest

Sun 26 Jan

Sand Martin hide: 4 brown long-eared bats (inside) 8 pochard.

Arn Riverlife: 3 pochard

Sat 25 Jan

Arun Riverlife: kingfisher in willows to the left, 6 pochards.

Reedbed: kesterel

Trumpeter pen: water rail, firecrest, goldcrest

Woodland Loop: nuthatch

Hedgerows near visitor centre: bullfinches

Ramsar hide: 8 snipe

Fri 24 Jan

Arun Riverlife: 2 pochard

Lapwing hide: 2 lapwing

Ramsar hide: 2 lapwing, 9 snipe, 5 pochard

Trumpeter pen: 1 little egret, firecrest, goldcrests

Woodland Loop: great spotted woodpecker, 14 blue tits, 6 great ttits, 6 long-tailed tits, 5 chaffinches, 1 goldfinch.

Thurs 23 Jan

Arun Riverlife: 6 pochards, 1 kingfisher

Wetlands Discovery Boat Safari: kingfisher

Ramsar hide: 6 snipe, 1 lapwing, 1 ochard, 1 Egytian goose

Lapwing hide: 14 teal

Reedbed: little egret, 2 mandarin ducks, 4 long tailed tits, 4 blue tits, 1 great ttit

Tues 21 Jan

Arun Riverlife: 2 little grebes, 4 cormorants, 5 teal, 1 kingfisher

Ramsar hide: 7 coromorants, 7 little egrets, 3 grey herons, 1 Egytian goose, 13 shelducks, 9 snipe, 17 greylag geese, 6 tufted ducks, 8 gadwall, 2 lapwing, 13 shoveler, 21 teal, 102 black-headed gulls.