Threave Bat Reserve
Threave Garden and Estate, Dumfries & Galloway (pictured)
Warmer temperatures means more insects – good news for the ten species of bat to be found in Scotland.
These protected creatures – the only mammals capable of powered flight – are key indicators of the health of a habitat and the natural enemy of the blood-sucking midge.
The tiny common pipistrelle can get chomp through thousands of the insects every night, and according to figures from Scottish Natural Heritage and the Bat Conservation Trust, populations of the species have risen in recent years after a century of perilous decline.
Threats to bats remain however, and it’s not clear how less common species have fared over the period, hence the value placed by bat lovers on Threave Bat Reserve, Scotland’s first and only bat reserve.
Mixed habitats of meadows, wetlands, woodlands and buildings provide for the seven different species to be found at Threave.
Visitors can learn to recognise their different calls on expert-led bat walks which run on Thursdays until September beginning on May 16. Book at bit.ly/ThreaveBatWalks
Culzean Country Park
Maybole, East Ayrshire
Though bats can be found across Scotland, generally the further north, the less bats there are.
The southern parts of the country support the most species with Culzean Castle and Country Park hosting all but one of the species to be found in Scotland.
The turrets of Robert Adam’s cliff-top castle are perfect roosting spots, as are the secret follies, glasshouses and woodlands in the surrounding park.
Head ranger Ian Cornforth will lead an introductory bat detector workshop on May 10 where you can learn to distinguish the sounds of pipistrelles, serotine, Daubenton’s bat and the furry noctule.
Book at bit.ly/BatCulzeanMay10
Falls of Clyde
New Lanark, Lanarkshire
Less common species such as Natterer’s and whiskered have been spotted at this reserve famous for its waterfalls and managed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust.
Daubenton’s bats can be seen feeding over the river in the evenings, and the Trust runs bat and badger walks throughout the year. The visitor centre features exhibits about the waterfalls and wildlife, including a special bat display.
Monikie Country Park
Angus
Developed around two former reservoirs, Monikie Country Park has a variety of bat-friendly habitats, self-led trails and Denfind Bird Sanctuary where you can watch a wide variety of wetlands birds from two hides.
In 2015, a man in the nearby village of Monikie got the Tayside Bat Group very excited with his footage of a rare albino bat spotted in his garden.
His sighting was thought to have been one of only a handful ever recorded in the UK.
Salen, Isle of Mull
Argyll and Bute
Around halfway between Tobermory and Craignure is the village of Salen, the full name of which is Sàilean Dubh Chaluim Chille, meaning the little black bay of St Columba.
Apparently he preached from a rock near the modern day Salen Hotel but his services weren’t very well attended. Perhaps folk were too distracted by the area’s populations of Daubenton’s, Natterer’s and pipistrelles.
On May 10 Elisabeth Ferrell from the Bat Conservation Trust leads an introductory workshop on bat detection at Salen Church Hall.
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