Bats in Essex in 1999
JOHN DOBSON
16 Westerings, Bicknacre, Danbury, Essex CMS 4ND
A feature of 1999 was the record count made of bats hibernating in converted war time bunkers at
Coggeshall. Since counts commenced in the winter of 1995/96, the total of bats using the site has
increased to 41 with at least 48 bats involved (using the maxima for each species).
Natterer's Daubenton's Brown Long-eared Total
12/12/95 6 19 16
02/02/96 3 1 10 14
31/01/96 7 1 10 18
26/02/96 5 6 11
10/12/96 8 9 17
02/01/97 16 15 31
04/02/97 10 1 16 27
05/03/97 5 18 14
12/12/97 9 1 15 25
02/01/98 11 20 31
02/02/98 15 18 33
20/02/98 7 2 14 23
30/11/98 5 2 14 21
04/01/99 26 14 40
01/02/99 22 14 36
22/02/99 25 16 41
By contrast, the total of 68 bats (27 Natterer's and 41 Daubenton's) counted in the Grays deneholes
was down on previous years. Notable records away from hibernation sites include the following:
Natterer's Bat Myotis nattereri (Kuhl 1818)
Droppings of this species were found in Little Bentley church (TM12) during a survey made prior
to the treatment of roof timbers for furniture beetle and a night roost was discovered in the porch of
a house at Theydon Bois (TQ49). Both constituted new 10km square records.
Daubenton's Bat Myotis daubentonii (Kuhl 1819)
The only new record involved several bats feeding over a lake at Church Langley (TL40).
Serotine Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber 1774)
A new record from the north of the county occurred when a male was found injured during building
work at a house in Hadstock (TL54) during November. This individual subsequently died.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)