Detecting bats…

Nottingham Forest players were eclipsed in the Carabaou Cup game against Leeds United this week by a pipistrelle bat performing brilliantly for fans in the John Robertson stand.

Meamwhile, at home, our friend John Parker has been crunching his way through the data collected from three static bat detectors we sited around the garden.

Static bat detectors sited in August 2026.

Analysis by John Parker of Notts Bat Group.

George’s Pond saw most activity. Probably unsurprisingly, especially during this prolonged drought.

Common and soprano pipistrelle most-frequently occurring across the site. Seven soprano pipistrelle present in one box in Goldcrest Woodland Garden August 2026 and three present in one box beneath Limes in October 2025.

Noctule were the most-active on the edge of Goldcrest Woodland Garden and third highest species recorded in total.

Nyctalus (Natterer’s or Leislers) were also active on the edge of Goldcrest Woodland Garden

Brown long-eared were present across the site and had also been recorded in a box in Goldcrest Woodland Garden in October 2025.

Myotis: it is difficult to separate Daubenton’s, Natterer’s and Whiskered bats by this method but the first two species were separately identified to species.

Leislers were recorded as a separate species and also included within the Nyctalus aggregation.

Conservatively, we had seven species recorded. Fascinating.

Thanks John.