Bat Awareness Sessions 2010/11

[Big Jim]

For the third successive year myself and Jess Eades will be running a series of short Bat Awareness training sessions in the Peaks.

We will be taking small groups of cavers/mine explorers undergound to look for bats and also discuss basic bat ecology and legislation.

We usually hold the sessions in the Via Gellia (nr Cromford) as there are several easy and short trips with reasonable numbers of bats. Sessions last for about half a day and will probably run from mid December until the end of March.

If anyone is interested, please drop me a PM with you email address and contact tel no. please. You will be added to our list and people will be invited to attend sessions on a first come first served basis.

Itis likely that we won't be doing this next year - this takes up quite a bit of our free time during the winter and we seem to miss out on a quite a few caving trips and we also need to spend some time doing more serious survey work.

Cheers

Big Jim

 

[Peter Burgess]

If you haven't done this sort of thing before, I recommend it. The Surrey Bat Group lets a few WCMS members go with them each winter. It's a great way to foster good relations and learn about each other's interests.

 

[Ralph]

Jim,
Have you seen the new "bat-friendly lid" Len K (CCPC) put on the shaft very close to Cromford?
We had a look down but couldn't get past the trees!!
Ralph

 

[Big Jim]

Cheers for that Peter, its good to see that at least some other Bat Groups aren't caverphobic.
I don't what the situation is like down the southwest these days but I know that John Altringham who does all the serious bat survey work in the Dales is a very caver friendly 'bat man'. At a talk he did for Derbyshire Bat Group early this year he even stated that it was thanks to cavers that many of the Easegill caves were open and now used by bats.

Jim

 

[Big Jim]

Jim,
Have you seen the new "bat-friendly lid" Len K (CCPC) put on the shaft very close to Cromford?
We had a look down but couldn't get past the trees!!
Ralph

Not seen the work yet but I dropped a couple of shafts last year at the request of Derbyshire Wildlife Trust that they were getting Len to cap.  One wasnt of much interest for bats or mine explorers so I recommended an easy sleeper solution. The other was a bit more interesting with a nice bedding half way down and small phreatic.  Think it went about 100ft.

Ill try and have a look when Im over that way next.

J

 

[ttxela]

We went on one of Jims bat trips last year (or was it early this year?) a good day and most interesting 

 

[ronaldjprice]

Having done Jim & Jess's trip and finding it very interesting and enjoyable ....highly recommended .

 

[j4nny]

I attended a Big-Jim-Bat-Trip a wile back, it resulted in meeting this reprobate in a lay-by followed by being taken underground. They don?t call him BigJim for nothing.

On a serious note, a most enjoyable experience, very educational, and highly recommended. Jim and Jess are lovely, and have become fond friends of mine.  Both are very knowledgeable on all things bat and it?s a well worth the jaunt.

 

[Big Jim]

Please note that the training sessions are only open to cavers/mine explorers.

Whilst Jess and I are experienced cavers we are not qualified cave leaders.

The sites we will be visiting to look for bats are fairly easy to most of us, but we want to be able to spend time on these sessions focusing our attention on passing on our knowledge of bats without having to worry about novices. We also have the safety and enjoyment of other attendees to consider.

These sessions are aimed purely at cavers/mine explorers to help improve knowledge and understanding of bats, particularly in underrgound hibernation sites to aid their conservation and reduce conflict between cavers and bat conservationists - Jess and I having feet firmly in both camps;-)

So please, no requests to bring along non-caving friends and family.  If non cavers want to learn about bats, they should contact their local bat group who will be happy to introduce them to some of our fury little friends (christ, I almost sound like a bunny hugger.)

Big Jim

 

[Stu]

Lucky enough to attend the session on the 12th Feb. Informative, practical, pragmatic and insightful.

They're free but I think every one of us stuck some donation money in; believe me if there was a standard fee it'd still be a bargain for the professionalism that Jess and Jim show.

Cheers you two.

 

[kay]

Lucky enough to attend the session on the 12th Feb. Informative, practical, pragmatic and insightful.

Totally agree. But you forgot "enjoyable".
And a goodie bag too.

(btw - I've sent you email)

 

[Stu]

... and enjoyable! 

And yes, it was me. I chatted with Edward at the cafe and we both agreed that it'd be Hidden Earth/some cave/some hut somewhere that we'd met. I'd forgotten Ing. Hall - memory like a sieve.

Nice to see you again.

 

[Big Jim]

Cheers Kay and Stu.  Glad you enjoyed the day and found it useful.  Dont forget to send me or Jess details of any bats you see in Derbyshire caves or ask us for advice on digging / capping etc if needed.

Also thanks to everyone else who came for the generous donations which will be going to DCRO / Derbyshire Bat Group.

Big Jim

 

[Pete K]

Thanks a lot for giving up your time today Jim, very informative. Me and Beth will drop some money into the DBG/DCRO coffers as a thanks. Nice information pack too.
See you again,
Pete

 

[Big Jim]

Cheers for the feedback Pete.  Jess and I decided to give all the money to DCRO as the bat group have loads of cash and dont have the same over heads as DCRO.  It was fortunate that a few bats decided to play ball but hopefully they will be out of hibernation soon and we can get back to proper caving.

Let me know if you need those bat boxes checking

Rgs

Jim

 

[anfieldman]

Hi Big Jim.
Perhaps it might be a good idea to promote your Bat Awareness Sessions to the BEC. Seems that they are not very aware of where their bat is most of the time!

 

[owd git]

Hi Jim.Is love i the air?  thought those (cuddling) bats in Owl hole looked really  'Intense' yesterday. (whiskered / Brandtz ish) towards the scaff' dig (Mr. Mortens?) expect young or a law-suite!
Ric'

 

[Big Jim]

Mark, they just need to stop getting so larupsed and letting badies from other Mendip clubs catch them unawares.

Ric, we had a cluster of 3 at the weekend (Im sure theres a french term thats applies to this). Bats will mate anytime from late summer onwards and males will often mate with torpid females (maybe a trick learnt from the BEC ) but dotn think any lawsuits have ever arisen.

J