Bats – FRIENDS OF THE PARKLAND WALK

The value of the Parkland Walk to people and wildlife can be observed during any daytime visit, but what is less well known is the reserve’s importance to animals active at night and especially to bats – one of the reasons why the nature reserve does not have a lit path. The disused railway tunnels in Highgate are one of the most important bat roosts in London. This haven is monitored regularly by the London Bat Group.

Bats find roosts in crevices in the brickwork and even soot and salt deposits. Sadly visitors can no longer access the tunnels.

British bats and their roosts are protected by law due to the dramatic drop in their numbers over the last century. The Parkland Walk provides a safe dark corridor linking other key sites such as Queen’s Wood and Highgate Wood but notably Finsbury Park and Woodbury wetlands where insect numbers are especially high.

Common pipistrelle

One of the UK’s smallest bats – this species is the most common urban living bat, often found roosting in cracks and crevices in buildings, behind panelling, shutters, eaves as well as bat boxes and trees. They are very territorial species, and are particularly so during the mating season when special social calls are emitted and the bats smell strongly of musk.

Brown long eared bat

This species is one of the varieties of bats for which eyesight is more important than the use of echolocation in finding prey. They often hunt above woodlands searching for moths and can be seen hovering while searching for prey. Photo: © Hugh Clark courtesy of the Bat Conservation Trust www.bats.org.uk.

Daubenton's bat

Daubenton’s bats are long sleepers, hibernating for six months of the year. They prefer dark underground places such as caves & tunnel roosts. They normally stay near to water and at twilight hunt for insects, scooping them up with their membranous tails and feet. © Matt Jan Gerard Maassen-Pohlen. Daubentons Bat – Copyright notice © UrftValley-Art

Bats can live up to 30 years the female having one pup each year. The tiny Pipistrelle can eat 3,000 insects in a night. They are the only mammal that can fly, and genetically are closer to humans than they are to mice. All bats use echolocation to fly and find food but it’s not the case that they are blind. Echolocation is a highly adapted skill. Seven species have been recorded on or adjacent to the Parkland Walk; Brown long eared, Common pipistrelle, Soprano pipistrelle, Daubenton’s, Leisler’s, Natterers and Noctule.

The best time to see bats is at dusk. You should see them in the area in front of the tunnels but the lake at Finsbury Park is one of the best places.