Category: Keeper’s Cottage

Keeper’s Cottage Bat Survey – 31st March 2015

The bats are waking up from hibernation now, and more are using the Bat House.  Five species were recorded in todays survey.

Three species were using the front cellar room:

  • Greater Horseshoe – have returned from their winter hibernation sites.
  • Lesser Horseshoe – in the purpose build wooden chimney shaped box.
  • Common (?) Pipistrelle – against a rafter, difficult to see, so may have been a Soprano

In the back rock vaulted cellar, mostly tucked up in crevices were:

  • Natterer’s Bat
  • Brown Long Eared
  • Lesser Horseshoe – hanging free with its wings folded round it

Lesser Horseshoes were also in the west upper loft, which is only accessible from the outside and not inter-connected to the main Bat House cellars.   Unusually there were using the old Chimney, as well as hanging from the ceiling netting.

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Finally … Snowdrops at Keeper’s Cottage

Over 4 weeks behind their neighbours at Stone Bridge, the Snowdrops at Keeper’s Cottage are finally coming into flower.

Finally the Snowdrops at Keeper’s Cottage are coming into full flower
Flowers nearly fully open, weeks after those at the Stone Bridge.
The bank opposite the Cottage is now covered with the little nodding bell flowers.

Keeper’s Cottage Bat Survey – Feb 2015

The Bats resident in the Keeper’s Cottage bat house are surveyed and recorded every month.

Overall the numbers remain down for Feb, following the trend of 2015.  Perhaps the warmer winter means the bats are waking up more often to feed and fewer are in their long term hibernation sites like Keeper’s.

The Survey on 21st Feb 2015 found Natterer’s and Brown Long Eared Bats in the rear vaulted cellar.  All were tightly packed into the little crevices between the rocks that make up the arched vault.

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