Bat Survey - Upper Killay, Swansea
Background
This golf course has been a beloved staple of local golf-lovers for decades. Now, in need of modernisation through renovation, we were called in to determine whether there are any bats that call this golf course home.
Scoping Survey
We start our series of bat surveys with a Preliminary Roost Assessment - an internal and external inspection of the building where we search for evidence of bats and for potential features that could be used by bats. These could be any small gaps into a building where bats could squeeze in to roost.
We found multiple gaps in walls and gaps under metal ridges that could be used b bats. We didn't find any evidence of bats, but these access points and surrounding quality habitat meant that we returned for a series of dusk emergence surveys.
Emergence Surveys
During emergence surveys, we set up infrared and thermal cameras before sunset, aimed at the potential roosting features we identified in the scoping survey, and film over the dusk hours to determine whether any bats leave the building.
We conducted three of these surveys as during the first of them, we discovered that pipistrelle bats emerged from a corrugated metal water tower. Throughout the rest of the surveys, we discovered more pipistrelles emerging from the same access point.
Next Steps
Now that we know that this golf club is a bat roost, we can go ahead and apply for a protected species licence, which will allow the works to legally go ahead, ensuring that the community gets the revamped gold club they have been waiting for, without compromising on bat safety.
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