[the black rabbit]

Hello all.
I wondered if anyone could throw any light (almost literally) on our returning white bat this year.
We live near Reading, Berks, and last year we had a white bat visit us most evenings. This isn't a pale bat - it's WHITE! It looks like a flying snowball!
I've never seen a white bat before but I got a few (very dodgy) photos.


One from last year:

THE LIGHT KNIGHT by THE BLACK RABBIT, on Flickr

And one from this year (out of focus I know, but with a moth in its gob I think?)

WHITE BAT by THE BLACK RABBIT, on Flickr



Anyone know how common or rare, white bats are???

Thanks

TBR

[Words]

Those photos are far from dodgy! Flying bats are among the most difficult shots to get. I can't help on the actual question but you could try contacting the bat research group at Sussex to see if they can help. Might be worth mentioning my real name (message me if you don't have it).

[the black rabbit]

Thanks Words!
I did contact the BCT last year and a local bat group.
To say they were far from informative (or indeed much help at all) would be an understatement I'm afraid.
I'll message you.
Good to see you here by the way!
TBR

[jamesandrewshipman]

Dear Black Rabbit,
My name is James and i am one of the members of the Berkshire and South Bucks bat group. I was shown this by a bat worker colleague of mine and i thought it would be good to contact you as you didnt get much reply last time you approached the group or BCT. The group has only just become very active and myself along with many of the other members try and make a good effort to come and visit members of the public like yourself to talk to you about questions you have and also bring some other information for you to look at etc.

If you are still interested in learning more about this bat or other bats in your area then please contact me:
jamesandrewshipman@hotmail.com

I would be very happy to come and visit and sure a couple of my colleagues would also be interested.
Please let me know if you are interested
I look forward to hearing from you and im sorry you didnt have much reply in the first place.

Kind regards
James Shipman

[Thylacine]

Hey... I'd be chuffed with these photos if I'd taken them. As I see, it you've got a leucistic individual here - basically a pale pigmented version of a normal species (reverse of melanism) and not as washed out as an albino. Often these individuals don't survive long in the environment as they stand out and are more prone to predation but your bat has obviously survived a few seasons. As to the species - I can't say, you needs to get the local bat group to get it's pitch on a bat detector ....but great photos.