Bats in the Belfry!

Bats in the Belfry!

London’s wildlife is constantly under threat and there is a growing concern to conserve and encourage it. Our large garden has become and area of interest to our local council because it offers a protected environment to many creatures.
BATS
                        
Some members of the London Bat Group, www.londonbats.org.uk that monitors bats in London, visited one evening recently, and spent a couple of hours at dusk patiently watching for the emergence of bats. Even though it is late in the year and close to hibernation time, they were rewarded with sightings of two species, the common pipistrelle and the soprano pipistrelle. Inspired by their enthusiasm, some of us are resolved not to take our bat population for granted but to make our own observations in the spring and summer evenings and report our findings.

HEDGEHOGS
 

A volunteer hedgehog carer came with her assistant to assess the suitability of our garden for rehabilitated hedgehogs in need of a secure home. They declared the garden to be “Hedgehog Heaven” and will return in the spring (since it is nearly hibernation time) to introduce some, mostly blind hedgehogs. Meanwhile, we have to take some precautions to safeguard some potentially dangerous areas, e.g.covering drain boxes into which they might drop without being able to climb out. Our 22 foot enclosure wall ensures that they will be safe from their most dangerous enemy – badgers.

We are very happy to be able to help to ensure that these little creatures of God can continue to survive and flourish in the midst of our city.