Flora and Fauna
Bats
Fattingpark Copse is home to at least 10 species of bat. The UK has 18 species of bat and the forest is home to the rarest and most elusive bat species in Britain.
Bats are a keystone species. This means that bats have a disproportionately large effect on their natural environment relative to its abundance. In other words, bats are essential in keeping eco systems healthy. A wide range of keystone species and consistent population numbers suggest a healthy environment.
The bat species recorded in Fattingpark are:
Bechstein's
Myotis bechsteinii
The Bechstein’s bat is a very rare British bat. Until recently very little was known about the Bechstein’s bat in the UK. In 2005 there were just six breeding populations of Bechstein’s bat. (BCT)
Dietmar Nill, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Habitat:
Bechstein's bat is specialized for inhabiting forested areas. On the Isle of Wight bats roost mostly within the woodpecker cavities made on ash trees.
Habits:
Bechstein's bat feeds chiefly on flying prey such as moths, dipterans, neuropterans and other small nocturnal insects. Analysis of droppings from the Isle of Wight and Wiltshire shows a diet consisting of dung flies, grasshoppers, nut weevils, and moths.
Protection:
Bechstein's bat is protected under the European Habitats Directive.
In the UK it is one of the region's rarest and most endangered species. It estimated that 21,600 individuals exist in the whole region, the true population size is difficult to estimate and three potential error sources have been identified in this estimate as such a range of 10,300 and 55,600 individuals is provided. Woodlands containing it may be considered for notification as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and may attract a grant under Natural Englands Environmental Stewardship scheme. On the rare chance one is spotted in the wild, authorities suggest immediately reporting it to a local bat conservation group or the Wildlife Trust.
Fattingpark Bat Facts:
Bechstein’s bats are a qualifying feature of Briddlesford Copse SSSI which is next door to Fattingpark Copse. It is likely that Fattingpark provides supporting habitat for Briddlesford’s Bechstein’s bat due to similarity of flora and flora and proximity.
Sure enough, in 2022, Newport Scouts camping in the woodland spotted and recorded a likely pregnant female Bechstein’s bat in broad daylight. The pictures and videos were confirmed by experts as a Bechstein’s bat. The video is available on YouTube.
Tracking shows that these bats have a short range, increasing the likelihood that Fattingpark may host its own Bechstein’s maternity roost.
Bechstein’s bats are notoriously quiet and shy, their echolocation calls are not easily picked up by detectors.
Whiskered
Myotis mystacinus
The Whiskered bat is a scarce but widely spread bat in the UK. They tend to hibernate in caves and don’t mind an exposed and damp roost. They were only discovered as a separate species to Brandt’s Bat in 1970 and much data on the whiskered bats is still missing and unknown.
Habitat:
The Whiskered bat is specialised for hunting around water and along hedgerows. We are currently unsure of where the bat’s are roosting, however agricultural or equestrian barns would be the likely habitat models near Fattingpark.
Habits:
The whiskered bats have been found on the woodland edges and within the woodlands on half a dozen emergence surveys. This could suggest the whiskered bat is not travelling a great distance to reach the woodland. However no tracking surveys have taken place, so we do not know where they’re flying from. All we know is that the whiskered bat enjoys foraging across the length and breadth of the ancient woodland at Fattingpark.
Protection:
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. European Protected Species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive
Fattingpark Bat Facts:
The whiskered bat has been consistently recorded at Fattingpark for several years. Its range indicates that the bat enjoys the kaleidoscope of habitats available within the woodland more than other species.
There are no caves or underground structures at Fattingpark where this bat could roost. However, the surrounding area is evidently providing roost sites for the whiskered bat.
Natterer's
Myotis mystacinus
Natterers' bat has a very wide habitat and is found across almost all of Europe and parts of North Africa. However the bats habitat is under threat due to pesticide use and poor farming practices including deforestation.
Habitat:
The Natteres are at ease flying over and around water, their flight style is relatively slow and they prefer to feed on flightless insects on leaves. They will however fly up to 15 metres into tree canopies.
Habits:
Natterer's bats will hibernate in small rock crevices, squeezing themselves into odd positions, including lying on their backs or sides, or even on their heads! They tend to hibernate alone or in small groups.
Protection:
Natterer's bats are protected under the European Habitats Directive, the Bonn Convention (Eurobats) and the Berne Convention. In the United Kingdom their rarity means that woodlands containing the species may be considered for notification as Sites of Special Scientific Interest or Special Areas of Conservation and may attract a grant under Natural Englands Environmental Stewardship scheme.
The UK population of Natterer’s bats is of international importance. To conserve its summer roosts, the conversion of barns should be discouraged and the maintenance and remedial timber treatment of other older buildings need to be carefully monitored. Important wintering sites should be protected. Feeding habitat requirements are poorly known.
Fattingpark Facts:
Natterers bats have only been recorded twice in the copse since 2022. They are one of the top four rarest bats in the copse.
Daubenton’s
Myotis daubentonii
Daubenton’s bat are positively long ranged. The spread of the bat is considerable, from Japan and Korea to Britain. The bat can fly unto 25 kilometres per hour and is known to forage between 6 and 10 kilometres from its roost.
Habitat:
These bats enjoy a habitat of grassland, woodland and water edges. They hibernate underground, in caves, underneath bridges but always near water.
Habits:
Daubenton’s are profoundly adept at hunting on water. They have been observed using their large feet as gaffes, spiking and ensnaring their prey. They’ve even been observed using their tail flap as a scoop when hunting. They hunt insects on water and have a particular taste fro midges and cadisfly, which Fattingpark Copse and Palmer’s brook provides in great numbers.
Protection:
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. European Protected Species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive.
Fattingpark Bat Facts:
Daubenton’s bat has only been recorded once in Fattingpark. The precise location of the record was in the crematorium section of ancient woodland, this section of woodland has always been part of Fattingpark Copse. Pipistrelle Bat’s have been recorded roosting at the crematorium, however Daubentons have only been recorded making one single pass over Palmer’s Brook and through the old oaks.
Barbastell’s
Barbastella barbastellus
The Barbastell's is very rare, only found in southern and central England and Wales. Very few breeding sites are currently known in the UK and it is important that surrounding environments of these and winter hibernation sites are maintained.
C. Robiller / Naturlichter.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Jan Ebr, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Habitat:
It is thought that they prefer pastoral landscapes with deciduous woodland, wet meadows and water bodies, such as woodland streams and rivers. Being one of the rarest mammals, much remains to be learned about barbastelles.
Habits:
The Barbestella’s recorded in the copse were observed enjoying the moths rising from the woodland. Their main prey are moths, some flies and beetles. The feeding habits suggests a preference to open pastoral landscapes with tall grass wildflower meadows adjacent to ancient woodlands.
Protection:
Barbastelle bats are incredibly rare. They are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and are also listed as Near Threatened globally on the IUCN Red List. There are thought to be as few as 5,000 in the UK, but as they are so rare it is difficult to say whether they are increasing or decreasing in numbers. Potential threats include development of pastureland adjacent to ancient woodlands, loss of woodland and connecting habitat and pesticide use leading to a reduction in their prey.
Fattingpark Bat Facts:
As these bats are so rare, chances of spotting them are minimal. However, if you’re still keen to see if you can catch sight of one, head to woodland areas (particularly those with streams or wet meadows) at dusk and you might be lucky enough to spot a bat on the wing in search of food. The best place to spot them would be on expansive wet meadows bordered with hedgerows, tall trees and ancient woodlands.
Soprano Pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pygmaeus
The two most common pipistrelle species found in the UK, the common pipistrelle and soprano pipistrelle, were only identified as separate species in the 1990s. The two species look very similar and often the easiest way to tell them apart is from the frequency of their echolocation calls.
Evgeniy Yakhontov, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Evgeniy Yakhontov, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Habitat:
Soprano pipistrelles usually feed in wetland habitats, for example over lakes and rivers, and also around woodland edge, tree lines or hedgerows, and in suburban gardens and parks.
Habits:
This species also roosts in tree holes and crevices, and also in bat boxes. Summer roosts of soprano pipistrelle support colonies of an average size of 200 bats, but they can be even larger with numbers reaching several hundred to over a thousand bats. Soprano pipistrelle feeds mainly on small flies, particularly midges and mosquitoes that are associated with water. Sounds produced by soprano pipistrelles are above the range of human hearing with the exception of social calls that may be heard by children and some adults with good hearing.
Protection:
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. European Protected Species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive.
Fattingpark Bat Facts:
Soprano Pipistrells have been found on every transect and survey in and around Fattingpark. As one of the most common species this is of no surprise. However, it is not as prolific on the Southern Edge as the Northern edge of the copse. This could be due to changes in micro fauna across the forest, with preferred foraging habitat and prey on the more open water bodied areas. However more research is needed to find out why the sopranos prefer the northern side of the woodland.
Common Pipistrelle
Pipistrellus pipistresllus
The Common Pipistrelle is our smallest and most common bat. As you can see from some of the surveys on this page, there is no other bat which has been recorded as much as the Common Pipistrell. Every survey conducted at the copse has recorded more Common Pipistrells than any other bat. Each survey we expect to Record Common pipistrelle between two ten times more than any other bat.
Barracuda1983, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Habitat:
Common pipistrelles normally breed in autumn and winter, but will not give birth until the following summer. During the breeding season, males establish ‘courtship territories’. They will patrol this area while emitting high-pitched calls – a sort of singing – to attract the attention of females. Around October, common pipistrelles become less active and by December will have entered full hibernation. The bats normally hibernate in buildings, taking advantage of the warmth and shelter provided. As the weather begins to warm up in March, the bats start emerging, usually becoming fully active by May.
Habits:
Common pipistrelles feed in a wide range of habitats comprising woodland, hedgerows, grassland, farmland, suburban and also urban areas. They generally emerge from their roost around 20 minutes after sunset and fly 2-10m above ground level searching for their insect prey, which they catch and eat on the wing by ‘aerial hawking’.
Protection:
Protected in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. European Protected Species under Annex IV of the European Habitats Directive.
Fattingpark Facts
The common pipistrelle lives up to its name, it is the most numerous bat in the Fattingpark area with over 500 confirmed records spanning a mere 4 surveys. The summer evening skies over Fattingpark are bursting with the smallest British flying mammal.
Grey Long-eared
Plecotus austriacus
Grey Long-eared bats are very rare medium sized bats found only in a few places in southern England. They are one of two long-eared bat species in the UK. A Grey Long-eared bat’s ears are nearly as long as the body, but are not always obvious; when at rest they curl their ears back like rams horns, or tuck them away completely under their wings leaving only the pointed inner lobe of the ear (the tragus) visible.
Habitat:
Relatively little is known about the habitat use of the grey long-eared bat. Radio-tracking studies show that they tend to forage over meadows, grasslands, gardens and near forest edges, up to 6 km away from the roost.
Habits:
Grey long-eared bats eat moths, Diptera (mainly Tipulids – crane flies), small beetles.
Protection:
One of the key drivers for the decline of this species is dramatic changes in foraging habitat, particularly the loss of species-rich meadows and wet grassland. Other causes include a loss of viable roosting sites through building conversions and development, encroaching urban development, impacts of roads through collision with vehicles and artificial night lighting.
This species has been placed on the official Red List of Threatened Species at both GB and England level, and is classified as endangered (see Mathews et al. (2018), The Population and Conservation Status of British Mammals, Natural England).
There is a conservation management plan for this species; see Razgour et al. (2013), Conserving Grey Long-Eared Bats (Plecotus austriacus) in our Landscape: a Conservation Management Plan.
Fattingpark Bat Facts:
While at rest, the grey long-eared bat tends to either curl its ears back or tuck them under its wings.
The Grey Long Ear is an impressive record, it was recorded on the first bat discovery walk that Dr. J. Whithurst and L. N Davis undertook of Fattingpark using the Bat Scanner and Bat Logger Pro.
Serotine
Eptesicus serotinus
The Serotine is one of Britain’s largest bat species and usually one of the first to appear in the evening, often emerging in good light. Its has broad wings and a leisurely, highly manoeuvrable flapping flight with occasional short glides or steep descents which are distinctive.
Habitat:
Serotines roost mainly in buildings with high gables and cavity walls. They can be found in much older buildings and churches, but are less often found in modern buildings. The access to the roost is usually at or near the gable apex or the lower eaves. The serotine is one of the most building-oriented species and is hardly ever found in trees.
Habits:
Serotines mainly hunt within 2km of the roost but they may forage up to six kilometres. Having caught a large beetle, a serotine will fly around slowly, chewing its prey and dropping the wing cases and legs; sometimes it will take the prey to a feeding perch.
It flies at about tree-top height (to about 10 m) often close to vegetation, and will sometimes flop, wings outstretched, on to the foliage to catch large insects. The serotine will feed around street lamps and even catch prey from the ground.
The males probably remain solitary or in small groups but are occasionally found with females in spring or autumn. Mating normally takes place in the autumn, but almost nothing is known of the mating behaviour. Males and females reach sexual maturity a year after their birth.
Protection:
The Serotine is one of our less common species, occurring mainly south of a line drawn from The Wash to parts of South Wales.
The historical decline in serotine numbers is probably due to loss of feeding habitat where large insects such as chafers can be found. As the serotine roosts almost entirely in buildings, it is subject to the effects of building work and the use of toxic chemicals in remedial timber treatment.
Fattingpark Bat Facts:
The regular Serotine records within and around the copse raise several interesting questions. Due to its size the Serotine prefers to warm up inside with a few laps within a cathedral. However, as there aren’t many cathedrals or similar structures in the immediate area it is assumed that these large bats are likely enjoying a spacious barn in the neighbourhood.
Plants
Over 200 plant species have been recorded at Fattingpark Copse, including a remarkable 46 ancient woodland indicator species such as Narrow-leaved Lungwort, Wood Anemone, Common Cow-wheat and Aspen. Making this one of the top five riches island woods for ancient flora.
This list includes:
Trees, Shrubs and Vines
Acer campestre, Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Carpinus betulus, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Crataegus monogyna, Euonymus europaeus, Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Hedera helix, Ilex aquifolium, Ligustrum vulgare, Lonicera periclymenun, Malus sylvestris sens.str., Populus tremula, Prunus sponosa, Quercus cerris, Quercus ilex, Quercus robur, Rhamnus carthartica, Rosa arvensis, Rubus caesius, Rubus fruticocsus agg., Ruscus aculeatus, Salix caprea, Salix cinerea subsp. oleifolia, Salix repens, Sambucus nigra, Solanum dulcamara, Sorbus torminalis, Viburnum opulus.
Ferns
Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris affinis, Dryopteris dilatata, Dryopteris filix-mas, Polystichum setiferun, Pteridium aquilinum, Asplenium scolopendrium.
Grasses, Rushes and Sedges
Agrostis capillaris, Agrostis stolenifera, Alopecurus geniculatus, Anthoxanthum odoratum, Brachypodium sylvaticum, Bromopsis ramosa, Carex laevigata, Carex otrubae, Carex pallescens, Carex pendula, Carex remota, Carex sylvatica, Carex viridula subsp., Cynosurus cristatus, Dactylis glomerata, Deschampsia cespitosa, Holcus lanatus, Holcus mollis, Isolepsis setacea, Juncus acutiflorus, Juncus bufonius, Juncus bufonius s.l., Juncus bulbosus, Juncus conglomeratus, Juncus effusus, Juncus inflexus, Luzula forsteri, Luzula multiflora, Poa annua, Poa pratensis sens.lat., Poa trivialis.
Herbaceous
Achillea millefolium, Adoxa moschatellina, Agrimonia eupatoria, Ajuga repans, Anagallis arvensis, Anagallis minima, Anemone nemorosa, Arctium minus, Arum maculatum, Bellis perenis, Cardamine flexuosa, Cardamine pratensis, Centaurea nigra, Centaurium erythraea, Centaurium pulchellum, Cerastium fontanum, Chamerion angustifolium, Ciraea lutetiana, Cirsium arvense, Cirsium palustre, Cirsium vulgare, Crepis capillaris, Cruciata laevipes, Dactylorhiza fuchsii, Dipsacus fullonum, Epilobium ciliatum, Epilobium hirsutum, Epilobium parviflorum, Epipactis helleborine, Eupatorium cannabinum, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Filipendula ulmaria, Fragaria vesca, Galium aparine, Galium mollugo, Galium pulstre, Geranium robertianum, Geum urbanum, Glechoma hederacea, Gnaphalium uliginosum, Helminthothca echiodes, Heracleum sphondylium, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, Hypericum humifusum, Hypericum perforatum, Hypericum pulchrum, Hypericum tetrapterum, Iris foetidissima, Lapsana communis, Lotus corniculatus, Lotus pedunculatus, Lysimachia nemorum, Melampyrum pratense, Mentha aquatica, Mentha arvensis, Mercurialis perennis, Moehringia trinervia, Neottia ovata, Odontites vernus, Oenanthe crocata, Orchis mascula, Orobanche hederae, Plantago major, Potentilla anserina, Potentilla erecta, Potentilla reptans, Potentilla sterilis, Primula vulgaris, Prunella vulgaris, Pulicaria dysenterica, Pulmonaria lonaifolia, Ranunculus acris, Ranunculus ficaria subsp. ficaria, Ranunculus flammula, Ranunculus repens, Rumex acetosa, Rumex sanguineus, Sagina apetala, Sangina procumbens, Sanicula europaea, Scrophularia auriculata, Scrhophularia nodosa, Scutellaria minor, Senecio erucifolius, Senecio jacobaea, Serratula tinctoria, Silene dioica, Solidaga virgaurea, Sonchus arvensis, Sonchus asper, Sonchus oleraceus, Stachys officinalis, Stellaria holostea, Succisa pratensis, Tamus communis, Teucrium scorodonia, Trifolium repens, Tripleurospermum inodorum, Utica dioica, Valeriana officinalis, veronica arvensis, Veronica beccabunga, Veronica chamaedrys, Veronica montana, Veronica officinalis, Veronica serpyllifolia, Viola reichenbachiana, Viola riviniana.
Coming soon...
Fattingpark Copse
Isle of Wight
info@fattingpark.uk
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