giving bats a home

It's becoming a cliché. But true for all that. 'Their numbers are in serious decline'.  This time that epithet is attached to our bats.

A drastic decline in the numbers of insects; changes to our homes providing fewer places for them to roost and breed; light pollution; and land and woodland management are all believed to have taken their toll. Bats need our help.

Our long term plan at Cordwood is to ensure that our garden is chock full of flowering plants for as long a period in the year as possible. We have also packed the garden with decaying logs because these encourage invertebrates which in turn feed bats. And, of course, we do not use pesticides.

And pictured is another part of the strategy...

This 'des.res. for bats' measures 60cm X 30 cm. Its made from untreated cedar tongue-and-groove and stands 1cm away from the cedar cladding to which it is fixed. It is on the north side of our bungalow in a quiet corner.

Now, I must admit that in all my time making and siting bat boxes I've had absolutely no success. Whatsoever. Diddley squat. I'm the Eddie the Eagle Edwards of bat houses.

It will be difficult to attract bats but

1. I take comfort from our house sparrow box that was adopted by a chirruping cock sparrer within less than a month of putting it up.

2. Let's take inspiration from himself:

That's an impossible shot, Batman. 

That's a negative attitude, Robin.