Call for volunteers to survey Nottinghamshire churches for bats this summer

Volunteers are being called upon to survey the county's churches for bats.

For the final year of the National Bats in Churches survey, volunteers are being asked to come forward to survey as many churches across Nottinghamshire as possible.

It’s thought at least 60% of pre-16th Century churches in England house bat roosts, but the true figure could be much higher.

So far, the Bats in Churches project has recorded 13 species of bat — including one of the rarest mammals in Britain, the grey long-eared bat — and the information gathered can help inform future conservation of bats.

Bats have been associated with churches for centuries. With complex structures packed full of cosy nooks and crannies, not to mention churchyards bursting with wildflowers attracting tasty insects for bats to eat, churches make great homes for these threatened animals. Some of our churches are home to nationally and internationally important roosts.

Last year the survey discovered bats in just over half of the 219 churches surveyed and recorded a total of nine bat species, including some new to the study. For the first time, it also verified Brandt’s bat and whiskered bat through DNA in their droppings, collected during the surveys.

Volunteers are now being asked to search for serotines, peek for pipistrelles, hunt for greater horseshoes and nosy for noctules this summer.

Claire Boothby, training and surveys officer at Bats in Churches, said: "If you have an interest in churches, bats or both I'd encourage you to get involved. The surveys are something that everyone can do, even if you are new to the world of bat surveys.

"The records will be key in telling us more about bats’ use of churches, including answering questions such as how many churches in England house bat roosts and which factors affect the likelihood of bats using these cherished buildings. The findings will go towards guidance documents to help churches and conserve both the buildings and the bats."

Volunteer Kathy Warden, who took part in the survey last year, said: "Knowing how valuable churches can be for bats I thought this nationwide survey was a great opportunity to contribute and discover a bit more about our local bats at the same time. The best moment came after scouring the church for signs of bat activity to see a brown long-eared bat looking down from high up in the chancel roof. It couldn’t help but make anybody smile."

Bats in Churches also works with more than 100 of the worst-affected churches in England.

No experience is needed to survey a church. For more information, visit the Bats in Churches website.