Introduction

Funded by the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL), led by the North Bucks Bat Group (NBBG) and supported by Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC), this project addresses the recent population declines in swifts and bats.

OPAL is a Big Lottery Fund project that aims to encourage people to spend more time outdoors enjoying and studying their local environment . By bringing scientists, amateur experts, local interest groups and the public closer together, it aims to help inspire and train the next generation of naturalists, as well as produce new data on the state of the environment across England. It is intended that lasting relationships will be formed and environmental issues of local and global relevance are explored.

This project is aimed at helping local communities form groups to watch out for swifts and bats in their areas. In order to protect the species we first need to find them. If we can locate populations of swifts and bats we can protect them. We can increase nesting and roosting opportunities for colonies and perhaps improve their local foraging habitat. Hopefully this will eventually enable colonies to increase in number and spread out from core areas.

Why combine the two species?

They have a lot in common:

What we will be doing

We will be using the funding acquired to purchase equipment to help the local groups in their initial surveys and to enable bat group members to carry out more public bat watch events. Specialist computer programmes will enable bat group members to carry out more detailed analysis of bat calls, thereby increasing our knowledge of the distribution of bat species across North Bucks. By involving local communities we hope to spread the word about the importance of protecting both these species and their habitats.

The links that AVDC already has with Springhill Prison through the Barn Owl Project will enable us to get purpose-built swift boxes made for sites such as church towers – these boxes will also have built-in provision for crevice dwelling bats. We also have some funds for the purchase of ready-built swift boxes which can be used to enable a core population to expand into adjacent sites. It is hoped that donations will be made towards the cost of boxes which would enable us to purchase materials to construct new boxes: this side of the project could be self-perpetuating.

Equipment will be purchased to enable swift calls to be played at new sites, this has been shown to be very effective in attracting prospecting birds.

Big Lottery Fund OPAL North Bucks Bat Group Aylesbury Vale District Council