RSPB: Batwalk

This is not an official RSPB post and any views or thoughts expressed on it are purely my own and in no way reflective of the RSPB as an organisation.

The RSPB work hard to put on amazing events for their volunteers and members of the general public to enjoy. One such event that was put on recently was a talk and a bat walk that took place around Cardiff's beautiful Bute Park.

As part of the event a member of Cardiff''s local bat group had come in to give us a talk on the subject and she had brought a rather cute friend with her, Podge the bat. First we got to learn all about the different types of bats; how they hunted, the way they fly and where they tend to roost before we got introduced to Podge.

He was super adorable and sleepy when he was fished out of the dish cloth he was resting in. We learned that his wing had been damaged and that he was therefore unlikely to able to ever fly again. We learned he was mostly fed on meal worms (as opposed to a bats natural diet of flying insects). After we had all been introduced to him he was put back in his portable hold to sleep.

Afterward we were all given bat detectors and went out into the park to look for bats. Unfortunately due to the time of year there weren't as many bats flying about as we would have liked but we still got to detect a few fluttering across the river.

So if you find bats in your home don't panic, they are small, harmless and just looking for a place to roost for a short wile and won't cause any damage to your house. Just remember that bats are protected under UK law so if you do have any problems try to approach the relevant statutory nature conservation agency.

Also remember that if you encounter any sick or injuried bats you should not approach or handle the animal but seek advice from the Bat Conservation Trust.

Tape Cardiff: The RSPB and Migrations promoting nature through art

*As a important note I would like to state that all photos and views on this blog are my own and therefore do not reflect the views, official photography and opinions of the RSPB as an organisation.

If you had gone down to Bute Park over the month of August, you might have noticed something strange in the woods. A gigantic spiderweb suspended between the trees of Bute Park.


Made entirely out of sticky tape and brought to life by Migrations, RSPB Cymru and the City of Cardiff Council, this great events gave adults and kids alike the chance to explore a spider's eye view of the natural world first hand.

As a volunteer at the event, it was great to see something like this set up that so directly engaged the general public. Children ran around the exhibit excitedly, people would stop randomly to take pictures on their phones and the looks of delight on people's faces as they left the exhibit was palpable.

Being actually able to crawl round the structure like a spider in its web or a moth in a cocoon was enormous fun and really gave you a childlike sense of wonder, joy and a sense of discovering the natural world for yourself. One of the great parts was knowing that this whole structure was entirely renewable, as afterwards it would be taken down and turned into perfectly usable plant pots.

There was also a strong sense that the installation had a serious message behind it as well. Set up in Bute Park as a way to encourage adults and children to think about and connect with the nature that surrounds them.

So after this structure has been taken down and recycled, how can the public promote the welfare of nature in their own homes? Well perhaps they can set up piles of wood in their back gardens to give spiders, moths and other insects a place to live. Or they could think about putting out bird feeders (particularly over harder winter months) that they can clean and refill regularly in order to help birds in the area. They could think about digging a pond in their back garden to help animals like frogs, newts and toads. Finally if they have a hedge or fence in the garden and the neighbors approve a small hole could be put in it to create a nature highway through which animals like hedgehogs could move freely.

For more ideas about how to help the natural world and to find out more about what the RSPB are doing you'll find a link to their website below.

https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/makeahomeforwildlife/givenatureahomeinyourgarden/