In The Distance

While cycling and exploring the neighbourhood, 

from the distance, we could hear a braying donkey.

So we just had to go for a visit...

and finally the females and foals arrived...

Here some links to earlier posts and photo's of loverly donkeys:

2016 / 2 - 2016 / 1 (white foal) - 2014

 2012 / 7 - 2012 / 6 - 2012 / 5 - 2012 / 4 - 2012 /3 - 2012 / 2 - 2012 / 1

BaT Habits

Project X

Yesterday we revisited a location for bats. In september we found it.

A friend read in the newspaper about this big renovation project X.

The roof of the heritage building would get renovated so the municipality

was informed there might be swifts and bats living under the eaves and roof.

They responded well, informed the architect and invited the expert and my friend

(who asked me to come) to join the site meeting and advise them how to proceed.

Our first search at the attic... 

... and we found a colony of 34 long-eared bats!

The expert asked us to visit local project Y

Project Y

Project Y is a very special site, already an almost perfect place for bats.

But a long process as it comes to official status and adjustments of the buildings.

The buildings need to be closed off so the bats won't be disturbed or harmed.

We did came across a few flattened bats against the wall.

A photo from a hibernating bat we found in December.

If you want to photograph a hibernating bat, do it quickly!

You don't want to disturb the hibernation.

Some species are really sensitive to light and smell.

Don't forget bats are a protected species!

At this location we found several species. This is one of the buildings of

project Y we will visit several times a year to observe and count the bats.

The expert started teaching me different characteristics to some species,

and I turned out to be an excellent pupil.... (big smile) NOT!

It dazzled me and it became clear it would take a lot more practice and effort.  

Inventory Z

In February we helped inventorize bats in the caves ('mergelgrotten') of Riemst.

With lots of volunteers, devided into small groups,

each of them being responsible for a few sections,

we searched the caves for hours.

The kenderman and me were assigned to the group of 'our' expert

because he has been teaching me to identify the different species.

We were lucky to see a Greater mouse-eared bat (info in Dutch Vale vleermuis)

Impressive to see the biggest bat on the European mainland for real.

We didn't take any photo's, we didn't want to disturb them.

The main goal was an exact counting and to determine the species.

No less than 1500 bats and several species were counted ★

 

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Project X - Part 2 

Time has passed and now there's the follow-up on the first project, project X

The bats are really lively now and at this time of year they will give birth soon.

The colony is a group of females and it's uncommon for males to be part of it.

A colony of long-eared bats at the attic...

We're not sure yet what type of long-eared bats we're dealing with since there are two types:

• Brown long-eared bat (Latin: Plecotus auritus, Dutch: Grootoorvleermuis)
• Grey long-eared bat (Latin: Plecotus austriacus, Dutch: Grijze grootoorvleermuis)

The brown one has a pink to light brown nose, the grey one has a darker nose / mask,

but the form of the nose tip will give us a definitive answer.

We assume it's the grey long-eared bat but the photo's aren't good enough to be sure, yet.

Update: It's the brown long-eared bat!

Amphibians migration

Slowly the migration of amphibians like toads and salamanders comes to an end.

(female Alpine newt or in Dutch Alpenwatersalamander)

Volunteers have been helping the animals to cross the roads safely by putting up screens,

digging in some buckets and transporting them to the other side a couple of times a day.

Their help can't prevent road casualties completely but

it increases the amount of casualties seriously.

Sometimes I go there to give a helping hand.

You can find some information about the Alpine newt here : English , Dutch 

You can find some information about the migration of amphibians here: HYLA

I admire the commitment of the volunteers.

Going there for weeks in a row even several times a day!

Chapeau!!!! ★

Hedgehog

Search for the European Tree Frog

Today we went hiking with just one goal, finding tree frogs.

We never expected to find them on our first attempt
but nevertheless we wanted to give it a try!

Instinctively we chose the right overgrown path and direction

and suddenly we heard a sound (quite similar to a magpie) 

kèkkèkkèkkèkkèk and we realized we were close to some tree frogs.

But we couldn't see them until a amateur wild photographer

helped us and pointed them out.

 Can you find them?

  The kenderman spotted one: tree fogs do climb trees!

And I found this little one all by myself...

Zoo Aquarium

Pandasia

But rain can be okay!
Suddenly a giant panda, Wu Wen, stormed outside...

 One hell of a fierce panda!

After seeing 2 panda's indoors, a "rioting" panda outside, in the rain, was so welcome!

Xing Ya

 Wu Wen, completely knock out after eating bamboo

Monday Morning

KEEP CALM and CARRY ON

Pyjama Party

Our Angelica was crowded with Striped shield bug

(pyjama bug in Dutch: pyama wants/kever)

Soay Sheep

Today the Soay sheep expected us to feed them so they came close.
Soay are the oldest breed of sheep known, dating back to 600 B.C.
Maybe we can have some sheep, donkeys and runner ducks one day.