Winter talk: Bats in trees with Keith Cohen

Winter talk : Bats in trees with Keith Cohen

Tuesday, 22 February 19:30-21:00 via Zoom

Where are the bats in trees ?

It used to be said that to find bats in trees you should look in big ancient trees but recently a very different picture of where bats can be found in trees has been revealed, and some examples are really game-changing for surveyors and for habitat management.

Based on his own observations over the last few years, and the shared observations of others, the talk is aimed at sharing recent eye-opening observations of where bats roost in trees, what features are important, which species of tree and how occupancy can vary.

How low is too low ?  How thin is too thin ?  Is a sycamore as good as an ash as an oak ?

Aimed at both batty folk and those involved in woodland or tree management, whether making decisions or actively felling. Including thermal camera and endoscope footage.

Keith has been a licensed bat worker since 1993, found his first tree roost in about 2000, undertakes tree surveys as volunteer and consultant, and monitors a site with an ever increasing number of known tree roosts (currently 81).

All are welcome to attend. Zoom joining instructions will be sent out to members and added to our Facebook event (https://www.facebook.com/groups/BerkshireSouthBuckinghamshireBatGroup/events) on the day. If you are not a member and don’t use FaceBook but would like to attend, please email info@berksbats.org.uk

Bechstein’s bat maternity group in old woodpecker hole (tree GLW 71 [00295]) – aerial of radio-tagged bat ‘Sansa’ is just visible at lower left. (Photo © Keith Cohen)