Groomsport Harbour at twilight on 2nd July 2018
Bat Survey in Groomsport
Research by Ulster Wildlife into our bat population
At twilight on 2nd July 2018 we had a visit from bat expert Dave Wall, from Ulster Wildlife. We wanted to establish which breeds of bat were present in the Groomsport Harbour area. Bats navigate by echolocation, involving sound emitted at a frequency that can't be detected by human ears. Dave recorded these clicks and sounds made by the bats with his bat detector.
Amazingly, the first species detected appeared to be Barbastelle bats which have never been recorded in the area until now. Their size was remarkable. With a wingspan of around 30cm (12inches), you would think they were actually birds when you see them fly overhead.
The next sonar frequency to be detected indicated a match with the Common Nocturnal Bat.
Along the path by the beach there were different bats, much smaller and faster than the others. They didn't seem to fly as high and they appeared to be paler in colour. They seemed to have a set flight path that they made as they circled over some hedges. These bats emitted a totally new frequency of clicks, identified as possibly being Pipistrelle bats.
All of these recordings need to be analysed and the findings confirmed.
It is interesting to learn that the village is home to several breeds of bat.