There is no 'bat police' - bats.org.uk/news/2024/08/t… . Bat Conservation Trust response to The Spectator's 'Beware the bat police' article which suggests bats are over-protected.

Unfortunately this tick wasn’t so flat before I had to resort to tweezers. Hate the way the teeny ones slide through the tick tools. :(

What does it take to be a bat carer? There's no one path to becoming a bat carer, and in the UK there's no recognised certification. But learning usually involves extensive hands-on training with a more experienced rehabilitator. Find out more: buff.ly/3La0PTL

Another lovely day of printing and being creative yesterday. The perfect tonic-thank you Jackie Curtis! My bathroom has now become a drying room full of beautiful prints. :)

All bat walks are different, but some are just amazing. Tonight’s walk for Devon Wildlife Trust Saving Devon’s Treescapes project along the Grand Western Canal had seven species in just about 200m. Stunning habitat, a tree roost and sensational views of bats. What a treat. :)

Glowworms are just so amazing! Seen this evening on ⁦Devon Wildlife Trust⁩ Bystock reserve. Numbers are low again this year, so every sighting is special. :)

#InternationalBatNight is this Saturday, the 24 August! Help raise awareness of bats and share your favourite bat fact. You have 10 to choose from on our page: buff.ly/4dppJeY (scroll down). Remember to tag us and use #MyFavouriteBatFact

It is now officially Autumn: a huge house spider ran across the living room carpet not long ago. Along with the squirrel picking every hazelnut on my tree snd the dull skies, it has felt like summer has gone, even if it was bizarrely warm.

Just bumped into this lovely big hog as I topped up the hedgehog feeder!

Thought I was being courteous and helpful pulling into a side road to allow a Stagecoach SouthWest bus to go past me when it was my right of way. I didn’t expect to get shouted at. :( Talk about intimidating.

It’s that time of year again - tractors all over the land will take to flailing vital food sources in the form of berries along thousands of miles of hedgerows. PLEASE, if you are a landowner or know someone who is, wait until Feb/March & leave nature’s larder for #wildlife 🙏🍒

It may be late, but I can’t face going to bed. This is my last night with my beautiful Smudge. Less than three weeks after any inkling she wasn’t quite right, the scans show her liver is riddled with tumours. Heartbreaking.

There is a need to start thinking at landscape scale to solve the issue of artificial lighting. The negative impacts go beyond bats, huge impacts on insects and other wildlife. This one factor driving the #biodiversity crisis #NatBatConf

Thank you Bat Conservation Trust for another super conference. Lots of super talks and food for thought. :) #NatBatConf

Interesting caterpillars found while pruning the hazel tree this evening. No idea what they are though yet!

Dear supermarkets, a plea for integrity… We’ve written to the CEOs of the Big Six supermarkets Tesco Sainsbury's Asda Morrisons Aldi Stores UK & @LidlGB asking them to be honest about where their food comes from & #stopfarmwashing Find out more: stopfarmwashing.co.uk

Fuzzy photo, but I didn’t expect to be finding a large slowworm on the patio today.There was a light frost this morning and I guess she rather likes the warmth of my hand as she didn’t want to let go!

The view as I left work this evening.

Love this banner from South East Devon Wildlife -great to see such high profile nocturnal wildlife. :)

I’ve decided to mothball this account. You can find me on sarah-butcher on BlueSky if you are there too. I’ll miss Twitter: I’ve learned such a lot on it. :(