Bat Walks, September 2025

15th September 2025

Thank you once again to local bat expert, Chris Doubell of Hampshire Bat Group, and trainee bat rescuer, Grace Hardy, who led two Bat Walks in the park in September. Chris kicked off the evenings with a talk about bats and delighted everyone by showing two of his long term-care rescued bats — a brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus and a common pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus.

Despite a rainy first evening, several bats were detected overhead. On the second evening, they were out in numbers, feeding overhead and putting on a thrilling show for everyone. It’s lovely to know that our park continues to be a popular feeding site for these special twilight visitors, including common pipistrelles and the slightly smaller soprano pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus.

Thank you too to everyone who came along. With the donations taken over both evenings, we were delighted to give £105.90 to Hampshire Bat Group.