[Cudyll Bach]

While out birding today with Valley Boy, we saw a bat around 13:30 this afternoon actively feeding on insects. I would say the body was about flycatcher size but with larger wings, the ears were quite prominent and it looked a redish brown but that may have been the light. Sadly we didn't get any photographs but we watched it for around 5 minutes and it fed all the time then flew off just as VB got the camera on it but realised he had it in manual focus mode and missed the shot

[Gill Osborne]

Originally Posted by Cudyll Bach

I would say the body was about flycatcher size but with larger wings, the ears were quite prominent and it looked a redish brown but that may have been the light...

Sounds to me like it could have been a Noctule. They are quite a big bat and a gingery/red in colour.

Unusual to see one flying around in the middle of the day but not impossible! I've seen Pipistrelles flying around trees when it is barely dusk and once watched two Daubenton's hawking over a pool in full sunlight at 4.30pm

I wouldn't be surprised to see bats flying around.....everything else in Nature is pretty much screwed up at the mo!

[Cudyll Bach]

Thanks for your reply Gill, after looking up Noctule in the Collins Complete British Wildlife where it states, "Large Bat with reddish brown fur and broad lobed ears. Often seen flying just before sunset or even during the day" I agree with your call. It's behaviour also matched the description in the Collins book, very strange watching a bat with binoculars but quite interesting.

[Collster]

Originally Posted by Cudyll Bach

Thanks for your reply Gill, after looking up Noctule in the Collins Complete British Wildlife where it states, "Large Bat with reddish brown fur and broad lobed ears. Often seen flying just before sunset or even during the day" I agree with your call. It's behaviour also matched the description in the Collins book, very strange watching a bat with binoculars but quite interesting.

Hmm, i do believe that someone put forward Noctule yesterday, second time i've seen these flying about in broad daylight and i agree it is strange