Woodland Survey

Bat Conservation Trust

Description

Barbastelle presence in selected woodlands is recorded with the aid of a broadband bat detector and audio recording device along walked transects in July, August and September. This survey is funded by Natural England.

Geographic Description

Woodland sites designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) with barbastelle as a qualifying feature. All such sites within the species range (England and Wales) are represented. Up to 2010 a number of additional woodlands that are not barbastelle SAC sites were also surveyed. The grid refs provided refer to the 1km square in which each transect is mainly located or a roughly central point within the site, rather than precise locations of bat records. This survey does not provide a complete picture of barbastelle distribution.

Purpose

The purpose of the survey is to monitor the presence of barbastelle at woodland SAC sites where this species is a qualifying feature. Other sites have also been included in this survey.

Data quality

The records have been verified through sonogram analysis by BCT staff.

Methods

Transects are walked on up to three evenings between late July and early September. Continuous recordings are made from broadband bat detectors and barbastelle calls are identified through post-survey sonogram analysis. Other rare species identified (such as horseshoe bats) are also logged. Recordings are split into 15 second segments.

Citation

Bat Conservation Trust (2020). Woodland Survey

Rights

CC-BY

Digitised records