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13 November 2007
Rare bats at Northamptonshire nature reserve
The declining noctule bat, one of the UK’s largest, has been spotted in our area
Volunteers from The Wildlife Trust's Nene Valley Ecology Group, made the discovery when they recorded the bats’ feeding buzzes using bat detecting equipment at Ditchford Lakes and Meadows nature reserve, near Irthlingborough.
Noctules have short, golden-brown fur, with a slightly lighter underside. The ears, nose and wing membranes are dark brown and the fur extends onto the wing membrane. Noctules benefit from the mosaic of wetland, woodland and grassland habitats that the Trust is working to protect and enhance in the Nene Valley. The loss of important feeding habitats, such as permanent pasture and mature trees with roosting hollows has been linked to their decline.
The Wildlife Trust manages Ditchford reserve for wildlife on behalf of its owner, East Northamptonshire Council. It is an important link for wildlife in the upper Nene Valley floodplain: It has Site of Special Scientific Interest status due to its waterfowl populations; it supports a rich array of birds, dragonflies and wild flowers, as well as otters; and local people regularly visit to enjoy the countryside and spot wildlife. Other bat species recorded included two species of pipistrelle bat as well as Daubenton’s bat, which rely on this wetland habitat to catch their insect prey over the water.
The discovery was made as part of the Bat Pathfinders survey, which is part of the £65,000 Valley Volunteers project, funded by Natural England, through Defra’s Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF). SITA Trust has also provided funding, through its Enriching Communities Fund, to improve the visitor access at Ditchford.
The Wildlife Trust manages three excellent nature reserves in this area including Ditchford Lakes and Meadows, Higham Ferrers and Wilson’s Pits. Terry Smithson, conservation manager for Northamptonshire, said, “This necklace of ex-gravel pits is at the heart of the Wildlife Trust’s Vision for the Nene Valley, which aims to enable more people enjoy and understand the wealth of wildlife in their area. It is great for local people to be able to record key species like Noctule bats right on their doorstep”.