Hilsea Bat Walk

 by Jacqueline Tyldesley

Common Pipistrelle

Last Friday Nik Knight, former head of Biology at PGS, led a bat walk at the Hilsea sports ground for 8 adults and 8 children. As we enjoyed a splendid sunset, Nik explained to us all about different species of British bats and why they are so important. He then showed us how to use the bat detectors that he had brought with him. These detectors convert the ultrasound noises that a bat makes into something at a frequency that humans can hear.

This spectograph shows a feeding buzz of a 
Common Pipistrelle, recorded during the evening.
The frequency is around 50Hz and the pulses come
more often as the bat gets closer to the insect. 

As we walked around the grounds in the increasing darkness, we spotted first some soprano pipistrelles and then common pipistrelles who were flying rapidly around us, feeding on insects.

Soprano Pipistrelle

Nik pointed out some boards explaining about some of the other wildlife on the site, beautifully illustrated by our Groundsman. We also found the hibernaculum, which is a place set aside for bats to hibernate and is in one of the old air raid shelters on the site. Nik explained to us how important safe places to feed, to roost and to hibernate is for the protection of these threatened species.

This bat walk forms part of a wider bat project which we have launched in Wildlife Club alongside Geo Club, Eco Club and PUG. Our link school, Kikaaya College School in Uganda, is also looking into how they can support the bats in their area, which are threatened by deforestation. If you are interested in getting involved with this project, please contact the staff who run these groups.