jacey | Bats

Found a bat on the floor outside this morning, a pipistrelle I think. A bat on the floor is a bat in trouble already, but one can but try. It didn't look damaged and it didn't look like a juvenile (it's the end of August they should be self-sufficient by now) so we did what you're supposed to do... put it in safe box with airholes and water and kept it quiet until dusk, then put it on a seven foot windowsill so it could take off easily and get airborne again.

But it hasn't.

It's still in the box. Alive but very quiet.

Called the bat helpline. No bloody help at all. Just an out of office reply and: 'please take it to your nearest vet as they have a duty of care to wildlife'. Yeah, right. Saturday night.

We think the bats roost in the eaves of our house - not that we've found evidence, but we see them flying each dusk. I'm very pleased to say that according to all the websites they are rather nice creatures to share accommodation with.