The end of summer bat walk on 27 August was a treat as always, though some of the bats may have gone elsewhere for their bank holiday… it was a fun and informative walk for returnees and new folks alike, thank you to Les for ably leading the walk.
As it was International Bat Night the work of the Bat Conservation Trust (who got FSP started on bat conservation in 2009) was discussed and a collection taken. Thank you everyone who donated, the £35.30 went off to BCT.
HELP BATS NOW! Plea from BCT
The laws protecting bats are under threat again
We are writing to you with an urgent request. The government is considering repealing or weakening legislation protecting bats and other wildlife, namely the Habitats Regulations
The State of Nature report in 2016 described Britain as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world and the more recent 2019 report painted a similarly depressing picture.
The loss of this protection would be devastating to the natural heritage that wildlife species represent. We need your help to make sure that the new prime minister and the government understand why removing this protection would be disastrous for our wildlife You can read our full news piece here.
How can you help?
Please contact your MP, by either asking for a face-to-face meeting, phoning them, emailing, or writing to them. We have created a template letter/email which can be downloaded from HERE. You can find the contact details for your local MP HERE (remember to include your address so they know you are a constituent). Please let us know if you have contacted your MP by emailing us on comms@bats.org.uk.
It was a still and warm April evening… The bat walk was about to begin. Les Clark had kindly agreed to lead the walk along a revised route that proved to reveal even more bats than usual.
The weather was ideal for tempting out the insects – and the bats were ready for a feast.
BORROW A BAT DETECTOR
If you fancy doing your own bat walk in the park or your back garden remember that we have some FSP detectors to borrow for a week at a time. Go to BATS page under FLORA AND FAUNA in the menu and scroll to the end of the page for details and form.
The intrepid Peter and Keith of Parks and Open Spaces tree gang managed to clear out the bird boxes along Dothill path mid February ready for new tenants. However housing is at a premium for the moment because three of the boxes had been seriously vandalised by parakeets and/or squirrels. Hard to tell.
Condemned
These were taken down and will be replaced. Eight of the boxes had been inhabited, the same as last season. But not the same boxes…hmmm
Who’s holding the ladder?
Battling the increasing chilly wind they re-positioned the 6 bat boxes that had been refurbished. You’ll spot them roughly in the same area as before. Many thanks to Clive who re-roofed the bat boxes and Peter and Keith for their expertise and ladder!
To our amazement, nearly 100 people gathered for last Friday’s Bat Walk – and the bats did too! Everyone enjoyed the walk, and even the baby buggies survived the off-road experience.
REMINDER: If you would like to borrow a bat detector to use for a week, please go to Bats page under Flora and Fauna . Details at the bottom of the page.
Our second Bat Walk of the year took place on a perfect bat-friendly September evening; still, mild and plenty of insects. There were also plenty of people, 51 plus a dog to be exact.
Formed in 2006, the Friends of Shrewsbury Park encourage the use of Shrewsbury Park and support the development of facilities for recreation, education and amenities for local people and to encourage a sense of community around the park.
