Whereas I understand the need to protect bats, I think there is far too much ?Scaremongering? and ?utter nonsense? that gets peddled around by a minority of bat enthusiasts (I am sure the majority are ok).
At a caving meet up, our group of cavers noted another ?party? of apparent cavers a stones throw away on the same car park (most had oldham lamps). Assuming they were cavers I approached (with a colleague) and a bloke stepped out of the other party (who I assumed to be their rep/boss/captain/whatever ? and he was) and I asked if he and his party were going underground as we were.
He said ?no, we are the bat group? and he waved at some nearby ?arches? (it was dusk) and bats could be seen flying around with various people already shining their lights at the bats (in flight) and some were taking photos.
He then added, ?There are bats down there (pointing underground) ? you are not allowed to disturb them? (which he said with some arrogant authority). I replied ?We have no intention of interfering with the bats, that?s not what we do?. His reply was ?Well, your lights will disturb them, you should consider re-arranging your trip?.
I became ?annoyed? (to say the least) especially since he had been unnecessarily arrogant and I pointed to his colleagues who were busy shining their lights and taking photos of the bats in flight and I said ?What, like your people are doing now??
He almost exploded at me and (with spittle coming forth from his mouth) he said ?We?ve got a licence!?.
My reply was short (and final) as I said ?oh, the bats know that do they??
We then went our separate ways.
I have no doubt most bat enthusiasts are perfectly fine people and reasonable precautions are, well, reasonable. But like (seemingly) everything else, there are extremists who want to micro-manage, dictate and police.
Just be sensible and don?t break any laws ?
Ian