Natural England - Bat walk at Fenn's Whixall NNR

Bat walk at Fenn's Whixall NNR

12 August 2010

Why not join Natural England and the Countryside Council for Wales on a guided tour of Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve by night to see and hear the creatures that come out in the dark.

John Morgan of the Shropshire Bat Group and Caroline Dahn, Natural England’s community outreach officer, will be leading families onto the Mosses on Friday 20 August for a bat walk, meeting at Bettisfield Old Railway Station at 7:30pm.

John Morgan will use bat detectors to let people hear the bats long before they can be seen and will tell everyone a lot about these rare and threatened species.

Different species of bats emit ‘squeaks’ at different frequencies which bounce off their surroundings and back to the very sensitive ears of the bats, helping them to judge distance and to avoid bumping into things in the dark. Using different frequencies on the bat detector will let the group find out which species of bats are present on the NNR

Events are free but booking is essential. For further information and to reserve a place for the day please contact Caroline Dahn on 0300 060 0583 or e-mail caroline.dahn@naturalengland.org.uk. Participants will need warm clothing, insect repellent and a torch!

-ENDS-

Notes for editors:

There are 225 National Nature Reserves in England and they offer ideal opportunities for observing birds and wildlife.

Some operate restricted or seasonal access, so check before you travel.

National Nature Reserves were initially established to protect sensitive features and to provide ‘outdoor laboratories’ for research. Their purpose has widened since those early days and now, as well as managing some of our most pristine habitats, our rarest species and our most significant geology, most NNRs offer great opportunities to the public as well as schools and specialist audiences to experience England’s natural heritage.

If you would like more information about this event or others on your local National Nature Reserves visit www.naturalengland.org.ukexternal link

About Natural England

Natural England is the government’s independent adviser on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.

  • We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.
  • We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.
  • We run Environmental Stewardship and other green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.
  • We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.
  • We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.

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