If you live in or around Dewsbury then bring your family down to the Calder & Hebble Navigation and listen in to the fascinating nocturnal behaviour of one of the nation’s best loved animals, the bat.
The event, taking place on the evening of Saturday 7 June, will see wildlife expert Russ Hedley leading a walk along the Calder & Hebble Navigation running through the town. Russ will be handing out bat detectors, which have a special ultrasonic microphone in them so humans can hear the sounds that bats make as they hunt for food.
Canals and reservoirs are good places to observe bats as they not only provide them with the water they need to rehydrate but also attract midges and other flying insects, which provide a ready feast. The Daubenton’s bat, in particular, is often seen to skim over the top of the water to feed on a variety of water insects, and pipistrelles, although being the most commonly found bat in buildings, will often feed over the water of a nearby river or pond.
The event is the first in a series of nature walks taking place on the town’s waterways over the summer. The events are being organised as part of Dewsbury Waterlinked, a Big Lottery funded project aimed at using local waterways to encourage community cohesion, improve people’s health and wellbeing and improve employability.
Jane Halladay, senior community coordinator for Groundwork Leeds said: “Dewsbury’s canals are great places to spot all types of wildlife but this bat walk will give people a fascinating insight into the lives of one particular animal that is perhaps less well known.
“Bat walks are extremely popular at this time of year and they present a great opportunity to discover how our waterways support bats and why they are so important to their livelihood.
The bat walk will be taking place from Savile Town Wharf Car Park, WF12 9BD at 8.30pm on Saturday 7 June. For more information and to book a place please contact Jane Halladay at Groundwork on 0113 238 0601 or email jane.halladay@groundwork.org.uk.
Details of the other walks taking place over the summer can be found on our events pages.
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