Current Projects

NBBG is participating in Year 3 of this nationwide BCT-funded project to determine if this rare species is present in Bucks.

The project involves habitat mapping, surveying and mist-netting and is being led by Toby Thorne and Jo Hodgkins.

North Bucks Bat Group has been erecting bat boxes in woodlands across North Buckinghamshire since 2002. It now has over 200 boxes in place which are checked regularly, at least twice a year.

Bat boxes are protected by law and may only be disturbed by properly licensed Bat Roost Visitors. Many of these boxes are erected on private land with the landowner's consent.

You are welcome to join us on a box check, but if you wish to handle the bats you will need to have an up to date rabies vaccination and you must wear gloves.

Study results.

Hilary Phillips is monitoring how bats use the Hellfire Caves in West Wycombe through the year. Due to the lack of natural underground sites in Buckinghamshire, this is a key site for observing hibernating and swarming bats.

Email Hilary if you want to join her on some of the surveys.

North Bucks Bat Group and BBOWT are working together to create some new bat roosts at their flagship wildlife site near Tring. This involves converting some disused buildings into suitable hibernation sites. There are very few known hibernation roosts for bats in Buckinghamshire so this will be an important addition.

Since 2007, Chris Damant has been leading a project to ring Brown Long Eared and Natterer's bats found in bat boxes and caught in mist nets in one particular linked ancient woodland.

The information obtained gives a valuable insight into the interactions between different bat roosts within the larger local population. This has led to some fascinating research which is to be published shortly.

A hundred years ago, Horseshoe bats were common across the southern half of England. Since then, their numbers and range have reduced by 95% and they are only present in South Wales and the very South West corner of England. Their complete extinction was narrowly averted by government action and the concerted support of a network of conservationists.

Imagine our surprise then when a routine roost visit found several Lesser Horseshoe bats roosting in a village near Wing. In 2009, we ran a project to find out more about where they have come from, where they are heading to, and what they do while they are visiting our region.

More information here.

North Bucks Bat Group is working with estate owners across Buckinghamshire to advise on estate management and bat conservation issues. For example, we have worked with the National Trust at a number of its properties in Buckinghamshire, such as Waddesdon Manor, Stowe Landscape Gardens and Cliveden House.

Firstly, we want to know what species are present. Then we can advise NT on specific conservation measures that can be taken to conserve and increase the number of bats present.

At Cliveden, we found the first ever record of a Bechstein's bat in Buckinghamshire.

A number of our members care for rescued bats, often orphaned infants. Baby bats are little bigger than your thumbnail and require regular feeding every 4 hours day and night.

If you are a Bat Group member and want to get involved in bat care, please contact Rhona.