The final, final word about the BioBlitz and some summer survey programme news!

I just wanted to say a big thanks you to those of you who made the supreme efforts to come out on Saturday, especially since the weather was somewhat challenging to say the least! I hope you did manage to have some fun despite the fact that our tally count of bats was only five (nothing in the morning)!  

For your interest the species count for the whole day (including a full breakdown of all the species recorded) will continue to rise over the coming days as data is still being in-putted   This can be viewed at http://bioblitz.dcs.aber.ac.uk. The counter is a bit misleading and Pippa has just emailed to say that the count was over 2000 and still going!  We need over 3000 to break the world record!

There is some press coverage of the day with an interview Saturday morning on BBC Wales Good Morning Wales programme - the clip can be heard here:-  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sdrw5 (~56 mins into the programme). Adam Walton from BBC Radio Wales Science Cafe was also on site for a few hours and will be putting together a programme on the event which will be broadcast on the 15th May 18:30hrs.   I got caught to do a piece ad-lib - scary.   I hope they edit a lot of it out since I was totally spaced by that time having had only two hours sleep on Friday night!  - to find out more information - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01sdwdf. There will also be something in The Cambrian this week.

Hope to catch you over the summer counts at some point.  Keep and eye on the programme - link to the right.  Markku is going to organise the BLE counts and Aline the Nattterer's so get in touch with them if you want to participate. Big thanks to them! We'll muddle through the pip counts somehow I'm sure!

Happy Batting!

Net

Last word on the BioBlitz

Hi All,

Just to confirm that what ever the weather, well whether the weather, whether we like it or not tomorrow unless we get to Noah's Arch proportions. 

The analysis of data - if we have any - will go ahead at 2:30pm  and we'll be based in the Edward Lloyd building on the ground floor.  The lab is along the corridor to the right of the entrance.

Parking is every person for themselves tomorrow on campus.  There is our thing going on, plus a small open day.  I've been advised that we could park behind the EL building later in the day.  But it's going to be a bun fight - sorry - so give yourself plenty of time.

See you in about 12 hours time - well some of you.

Net  

BioBlitz arrangements for the Bat Group

Hi All,

Hope you're all geared up for the BioBlitz on Saturday and will be ready for a 3:30am start!!!!!!

Bioblitz Programme

As you can see there is a huge variety of thing that you can do on Saturday. As far as the batty side of things is concerned, I hope the following plan meets with everyone's approval.

If you are coming along, please bring, pencils/pen, a good time keeping piece, and clip board or similar, a flash light.  I don't need to remind you about good shoes, waterproofs and goodies to eat and drink!  Oh yes, and a bat detector if you have one.  I've got two spares!

If you are planning on parking your car on campus please read the note below.

3:30 am - meet on Penglais Hill by the gates of Plas Penglais.  That's the entrance to the Pocket Park. 
We'll have a wander in the woods and around the buildings and end up at the VC's house where a BLE roost has been reported in the past.  If it's a nice morning we should see them coming back - the bats that is, not the VC from the May Ball!

2:30ish (to be confirmed)  we'll be in the labs in the IBERS building - somewhere - having a look through any recorded data and using software to help identify bats.

8:30 pm - meet outside the Sports Science Building.  We'll split into two groups and walk a transect a couple of times as the evening progresses.   It's not far and it's on good ground.

I've got maps now of the areas in question.

Hope this all sounds reasonable - any comments, keep to yourself! No, if there is anything you can think of please let me know.

Net :)

1.      InterPol Car Park will be used as a fun fair and will be closed from 17:00hrs on Wednesday 8th May until 08:30hrs on Sunday 12th May.

2.      The main spine road through the Campus from the zebra crossing at the north end of the Hugh Owen building, to the junction at the top of Maintenance hill (all along the front of Hugh Owen and Arts Centre) will be closed from 17:00hrs on Friday 10th May until 03:30hrs on Saturday 11th May.