In today's things that will never happen again. Pool side for 8am in the villa. I love the colours of #Menorca.

Last weekend we conducted a second NBMP bat hibernation survey at old disused mines in Derbyshire. Plenty of myotids including daubentons, and 2 BLE. Similar numbers to last year, maybe slightly down when added up. It's always a privilege (and a responsibility) to be this close to bats in torpor. 🦇

This tiny pipistrelle pup agrees! Eat until you fall asleep happy. 😋🦇

Leister's bats don't come into bat care very often but when they do they come in via a pilot at EMA and get superstar treatment and a good send off when they're released, like this girl did. 🦇✨ Look how big she was?? 😍 She weighed approx 15g when she went.

Look at this beauty. Noctule bat (Nyctalus noctula) in care having come in as a pup with mum. Both were ringed for release but pup wasn't flying well, so mum went back to the wilds of Yorkshire whilst this girl stayed as a long termer. She's bonded to her carer now and helps train new bat carers. 🦇

Leisler's bat (Nyctalus leisleri), also known as the lesser noctule or the 'hairy-armed bat' (see pic for why), found during bat box checks in 2023 with the Derbyshire bat group. One of my favourites. 🥰🦇

We passed a pair of WTE on the way down from NW Scottish Highlands on Saturday so I stopped to get a closer look, and was rewarded with one of the pair coming closer to check us out from above. Always stunning birds to witness soaring around the Highland skies. 😍

Finally got my copy of this fab book yesterday on my return from Scotland. New UK bat ID guide. Yay!! What a brilliant book for use when trapping (Dietz is huge/heavy in comparison). I look forward to becoming familiar with its pages. 🦇 Thanks for this great book @batman-shipman.bsky.social

This chonk: Leisler's bat (Nyctalus leisleri).Recorded during box checks in 2023 at a bat group box scheme in nearby parkland/woodland. Leisler's are superficially like noctules but smaller, more chill in my experience but equally as inquisitive and intelligent. We're hoping to record more in 2025 🦇

This is my spicy tortie, Princess. 💜

It's a wee bit windy here. Blowing a hoolie.

Here's mine. Been doing HEMA for 10 years although lately let it slip badly. A beautiful sword is a glorious thing.

Here is a special bat. He's a nathusius pipistrelle (Pipistrellus nathusii) and he was caught as part of a trapping project in Derbyshire under the National Nathusius Pipistrelle Project (NNPP) a couple of years ago. Isn't he handsome? 😍🦇

This was my view yesterday from nearby. NW Scotland is a magical place. This is machair habitat and wild coast at Opinan near Laide. Otter country 🦦