Welcome to the events page
Gibside Bat Survey Dates 2025
Come and join Northumberland Bat Group at this amazing National Trust managed location. The grounds and buildings are a haven for bats. No experience required, but a bonus if you have surveyed before. Tina, Tim or another experienced bat surveyor will be on hand to explain what you have to do and where you have to stand for each survey.
The National Trust at Gibside will supply bat detectors to use for these surveys, but if you have your own torch please bring it along. Remember to wear warm clothes and insect repellent. Surveys start about 30 minutes before sunset and will continue for 1 – 2 hours after sun set. Exact timings will depend on the time of year, survey type and weather.
Meeting times are in the information below, and the surveys carry on until it gets dark, which can be late at the end of May and in June. The meeting location is: Gisbide, in the main car park, at NZ169581, entrance at ///groom.invest.pizza
There is no need to let Tina know that you are coming along as the surveys will take place regardless of the number of people that turn up. Also worth noting, if it is pouring with rain, then that night’s survey will be cancelled.
NBMP Waterway survey – Final surveys
Thursday 7th August Meet in car park at 7:45pm.
Thursday 21st August Meet in car park at 7:00pm.
Bat Walks 2025
What is a bat walk?
Bat walks are open to anyone that wishes to attend. Some of the walks are suitable for all types of mobility, others may be rough underfoot so less suitable for wheels etc, so please ask if you have an accessibility question.
Walks start at sun set, just to give us time to meet up at the given location. The walk leader will then hand out some bat detectors and explain how to use them, and which noises relate to which bat calls (or jangling keys, or squeaky wheel bearings!).
The walks are generally around 3 – 5km long no more and last 1 – 1.5 hours. You will need to bring warm clothes and sturdy foot wear. Also if you have it, bring a torch too.
Walks are weather dependent, so if a walk is cancelled due to heavy rain, a note will be posted on here, and on the group Facebook site. Also unlike during the covid years, no booking is required, just turn up! The walk leader will be wearing bat dee-lee-boppers, and easy to recognise (usually).
Wednesday 30th April 2025 – Leazes Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Meet at the car park on Richardson Road, click for location. We will meet at 2040 hrs, then walk around the park, which is often full of bats, even if it is windy.
Tuesday 13th May 2025 – Wickham Thorns Park, Gateshead. Meet at the Wickham Thorns car park (click for location) close to the end of the obstacle course at 2100 hrs. We will then walk a loop through the woodland and the park to see if there are bats around. This will be our first walk at this location, but my recci yesterday felt very promising!
Monday 18th August 2025 – Bat walk for Friends of Chopwell Woods. Event is now fully booked: Bat Watch
Wednesday 20th August 2025 – Castle Eden Dene (I know it’s Durham!). This walk is being run through Natural England. The information is on Facebook or you can book by using Eventbrite.
Tuesday 26th August 2025 – Land of Oak and Iron. This event is booked through the Land of Oak and Iron directly. It is now fully subscribed.
Tuesday 2nd September 2025 – meet @ 2000hrs outside the Merchant’s Tavern, St Peter’s Basin. We can then walk along the river side and back along one of the wagon ways to see which species we have on this section of the River Tyne.
Cancelled! – Sorry Wednesday 10th September – meet @ 1930 the Dunstan Staithes Cafe. We can then walk along the river and down some of the wagon ways to see what we can find.
Cancelled! – Sorry Thursday 11th September – meet @ 1930 in the parking next to Hexham rowing club. This has always been a lovely bat walk, even in the rain, with many species foraging in the mature parkland trees as well as over the river.
There may be more walks, but at some point I might have to go in to hibernation too….
NBNP Hibernation Surveys 2025
Saturday 22nd February 2025
Tina is planning an NBMP hibernation survey of the adits at Nenthead on Sat 22nd Feb.
We have been surveying the same sites since 2014 and are really starting to build up a picture of how the bats are using these sites.
You will need wellies, old warm clothes that you dont mind getting dirty, torches with lots of spare batteries and maybe also a change of boots/socks, the adits are all wet. Bring lunch, snacks and a flask, it will be cold!
If you have a caving helmet/hard hat that you are able to bring along that would be great, Tina has a few to lend out if not.
If you are interested in/able to come along please email Tina on malinka1999@btinternet.com. As ever, places are on a first come first served basis. Once signed up you will be given the meeting point time and reference.
We are entering known hibernacula, and to comply with IUCN and BCT guidelines :
All surveyors should have had a lateral flow test with a negative result within 48 hours before the survey (this is also essential for mitigating risks to bats). If a member of the survey team has COVID-type symptoms then they should not participate until they have had a PCR test with a negative result. Test kits are less than £2 can can be pre-ordered and picked up from Boots chemist (other chemists are available!).
FFP2 masks or better are a requirement when within hibernacula. If you don’t have a mask then Tina can provide a mask if you need one.
One last thing, for insurance purposes you need to be a member of Northumberland Bat Group to join these surveys, no worries if you are not, it is easy and free to join. Just go to the Contact Us page and sign up to the mailing list.
Bat Evidence Surveys - Bats in Churches
Northumberland Bat Group are leading four bat surveys of churches as part of the Bat Conservation Trust’s Bat Evidence in Churches surveys.
These are dusk surveys to see if we can see any bats emerging from the churches, and identify any bats present. We will meet in daylight but the surveys will continue until its dark, so wear sturdy foot wear and warm clothes. We will have some bat detectors to use but please bring a torch if you have one. No need to sign up, just turn up if you want to take part.
St John the Baptist church, Ulgham, 21st August, meeting 20:00 NZ234924, ///practical.umbrellas.squirts
St Bartholomew’s church, Cresswell, 21st August, meeting 20:00 NZ290933, ///rentals.retina.blockage
Holy Trinity church, Widdrington, 27th August, meeting 19:30 NZ254957, ///menswear.increment.ember
St Peter’s church, Falstone, 2nd September, meeting 19:00 NY724874, ///contact.towels.scrapped