Sarah Jo 🦇
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battysarah.bsky.social
Sarah Jo 🦇
@battysarah.bsky.social
740 followers 3K following 190 posts
Educator. Volunteer bat worker. Charity trustee. BSc (Hons) Ecology. Vegan for the animals and the planet. Childfree by choice. Northern. She/her.
🖤🦇💚🌱💙🌍
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battysarah.bsky.social
While the bats are starting to hibernate, I'm entertaining myself looking for fungi again. Wasn't sure what I'd find today as we had our first proper cold snap last week, but I wasn't disappointed! 🍄

North west England.

#MushroomMonday #FungiFriends
#Britishwildlife #nature
A cluster of fungi on the forest floor. Small brown spheres with holes in the top. I'm new to fungi so can't think of a better way to describe them. Birch polypore I think. A semi-circular orange bracket fungus on a dead tree trunk. Yellow fungus between leaves on the forest floor. Round with a hole in the top. Small, pale coloured bracket fungus on a tree trunk.
November 24, 2025 at 4:39 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Trees of RSPB Dove Stone.

Over time, the evergreens are being replaced by native deciduous woodland.

#trees #ukwildlife #nature #naturalhistory
Tall pine on the edge of a rocky outcrop. Roots are visible over the rocks. This tree is partially fallen. Roots are visible. Branches are bare. A fallen tree. Moss is growing on the trunk. Multicoloured autumn leaves. Greens, oranges and yellow.
October 30, 2025 at 12:49 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Wildflower meadow restoration at RSPB Dove Stone yesterday. I chatted to one of the volunteers about this fantastic project to increase biodiversity in the area. More wildflowers = more insects, which are then prey for other species including 🦇🐦🐸🐀. #conservation #rewilding #uknature #wildlife
Volunteers planting small 'plug plants' across an open field. There is a rocky outcrop in the background.
October 30, 2025 at 9:04 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
How many deer can you spot?

#rspbdovestone #ukwildlife #wildlife #nature #wildlifephotography
3 female roe deer in woods. They are well camouflaged against the fallen leaves and tree trunks.
October 29, 2025 at 8:26 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Been on Auntie duties this week. For bat week, we made bat shadow puppets. 🦇🖤🦇
October 29, 2025 at 7:52 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Fungi spotting at RSPB Dove Stone today. 🌲🌳🍄‍🟫🍄🌎

Anyone recommend a good field guide for identifying UK fungi?

#rspb #fungi #ukwildlife #nature #naturalhistory #ukfungi
Brown mushroom fungi in a pine wood. Small, pale fungi on a tree trunk. These were tiny - photo taken in phone macro setting. Brown fungi growing on a tree trunk. Fungi on a tree trunk.
October 29, 2025 at 3:56 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Walking round RSPB Dove Stone today and spotted this rather rustic looking 🦇 box!

Almost missed it as I was looking at the fabulous display of fungi on the trunk.

🦇🖤🦇

#lovebats #bats #britishbats #ukwildlife #wildlife #fungi #nature
A bat box on a tree trunk. In the distance is a tall hill and a reservoir. The tree trunk has lots of fungi growing on it. They look like brown mushrooms. A slightly closer view of the bat box. It is made from a section of tree branch. It has 3 slits underneath. Bat roosts are protected by law in the UK.
October 29, 2025 at 1:56 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
You're never too young to connect with nature. My niece came to visit and we explored the woods, canals and local parks. The rain didn't stop us. 💚🌳🌲🐦🌎

#connectwithnature #wildlife #nature #britishwildlife
My niece and I walking on a canal towpath. There are trees on the right hand side. It it raining.
October 29, 2025 at 9:39 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
🍄‍🟫🍄🍄‍🟫🍄🍄‍🟫🍄🍄‍🟫

A celebration of fungi from my walk today.

#fungi #nature #wildlife #ukwildlife
October 15, 2025 at 3:33 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
🦇🖤🦇

#batboxspotting
October 15, 2025 at 1:05 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
#connectwithnature #wildlife #nature #naturalhistory
October 12, 2025 at 6:50 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
It might be the middle of October, but there's still lots of life in the garden! #nature #autumn #wildflowers #fungi
Fox and cubs. Bright orange wild flower growing in grass. Ivy-leaved toadflax, small plant creeping along a wall. Small purple flowers. Fungus growing in the grass. Small brown mushrooms. Don't know the name. Heather. Some pink flowers still visible but some have turned brown.
October 12, 2025 at 7:45 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
Very batty week! 🦇🖤🦇

Outreach in a school in Bolton on Monday.

Bat walk for Cubs in Stalybridge on Tuesday.

Collected a grounded bat in Oldham last night (poor Jeff had severe injuries so the only humane outcome was pts 😢).

Love bats? Get involved with your local bat group!

#bats #lovebats
Entrance to the park for Tuesday's bat walk. A tarmac path between 2 areas of vegetation. There is a fence on the left side of the path.
October 11, 2025 at 10:03 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
Led a fantastic bat walk on Tuesday for a community group in Godley, Greater Manchester. We picked up common and soprano pips, and myotis species - likely Brandt's or whiskered.

There are 9 recorded species for Greater Manchester. Can you name them?

🦇🖤🦇

#bats #lovebats #Britishbats #ukwildlife
Entrance to Vincent Park where the bat walk took place. There is a road then a green fence with trees behind.
September 27, 2025 at 1:31 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
More tree photos; sessile oaks cling to the valley sides, twisted and misshapen. Acorns falling as I walk, carpeting the woodland floor. A secret place located on the edge of the peak district. #trees #treesUK #wildlife #naturephotography #oaktrees
Twisted oak trunk covered in Mossley and lichen. Branches bent round at sharp angles. An oak trunk leaning. A carpet of acorns.
September 23, 2025 at 8:30 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
In December 2023, Storm Gerrit sent a tornado up the valley I live in. Been out today to photograph the aftermath nearly 2 years on. Some of the fallen oak trees are clearly still alive, and new shoots are growing from stumps. Nature is amazing. 🌲🌳🌎🌬
Upturned tree stump sprouting new shoots. Oak. Another oak stump from a blown over tree. Branch from oak which was blown down. Leaves are growing from it. Another blown over oak sprouting new shoots and leaves.
September 22, 2025 at 6:21 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Walk round Chorlton Water Park by day; looking for birds 🦉🦢🦆🐦, not bats, this time. After a day of torrential rain yesterday, I can't believe the weather today!

#wildlife #Britishbirds #birding
Information sign about common birds in the area. View of the lake through the trees. There is a coot on a branch in the water. Blue sky with a few clouds reflecting in the water. Young swan, Canada goose and coot on the water. View of the lake from one end. It is surrounded by trees.
September 21, 2025 at 2:29 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
A common pipistrelle I collected being released after a few days in care. This little bat came down a chimney and was lucky the home owner heard him moving about. Rehydration and a few good mealworm meals, and he was good to go. Thanks to his carer for allowing me to share this video. 🦇🖤🦇 1/2
September 20, 2025 at 10:46 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
Found a place for the bat stickers I've bought from @emmaillustrate.bsky.social at the last 2 bat conferences (plus a couple that were freebies from other organisations). Batastic!!! 🦇🖤🦇 #bats #lovebats
My silver laptop covered in a variety of bat stickers.
September 9, 2025 at 12:22 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Danielle Hargreaves of the @vincentwt.bsky.social talking all things lesser horseshoe bat at #NatBatConf! I did a roost emergence survey of this species in Wales and it was amazing. They are such agile flyers! He also brought along a teaching and planning tool - a 3D model of a ...cont...

🦇🖤🦇
Daniel sharing a presentation on lesser horseshoe bats. He is stood at the front of a room with people sat at desks. Daniel sharing a slide about the Vincent Wildlife Trust and how it started. A 3D model of a landscape with human and natural features: houses, a road, rocks, tree and farmland.
September 7, 2025 at 9:15 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Rochelle Kennedy presented her PhD research comparing mixed and arable farming - which is best for bats? Findings will be published soon! #NatBatConf

🦇🖤🦇
Rochelle presenting in a lecture theatre. Diagram with possible factors to influence bats such as hedgerows and landscape diversity.
September 7, 2025 at 7:08 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
Danielle Smith of BCT talking about regenerative agriculture and community engagement as a means to conserve 9 target species (7 bats 🦇). 70% of land in the UK is agricultural land - the scheme encourages farmers to put 10% aside for nature. Species monitoring will measure impact.

#NatBatConf
Connecting People and Landscapes title slide.
September 6, 2025 at 4:11 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
Keynote by Ricardo Rocha. Very engaging talk about the diversity of bats in island ecosystems and the unique challenges they face (mostly due to human impact). Accompanied by beautiful photos highlighting the diverse and extraordinary nature of bats. #NatBatConf @batconservation.bsky.social
🦇🖤🦇
Lecture theatre with 'Bat Ecology and Conservation in Island Ecosystems' title on the screen.
September 6, 2025 at 3:01 PM
battysarah.bsky.social
The annual conference 🦇 bat walk led by members of Durham Bat Group. Soprano and common pips put in an appearance, but the highlight of the walk was the talk about the work the bat group does at the cathedral. During summer, patrols go out twice a day round the cathedral ...cont. #NatBatConf
Durham Cathedral lit up at night.
September 6, 2025 at 10:50 AM
battysarah.bsky.social
Well, Durham is gorgeous! Why haven't I been here before?

All checked in at Durham University ready for the National Bat Conference run by @batconservation.bsky.social

Tonight will consist of bats and beer as events kick off with the annual bat walk! 🖤🦇🍻
The River Wear with Durham Cathedral in the background. There are trees along the river bank. A bridge over the river. Trees and a bench in the foreground. Me with the river and cathedral in the back ground.
September 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM