Evening Bat & Wildlife Walk at Nottingham Road Cemetery – Saturday 13th July 2024 (Free)
Join us for a unique opportunity to take an easy stroll around this wildlife rich urban oasis after dark in the company of experienced wildlife guide Antony Pooles of Natural Derbyshire Tours.
The rich and varied habitats of Derby’s largest cemetery mean this green site is an important refuge for lots of wildlife with plenty to see year round though it is relatively unexplored and untouched after dark making this chance to spend time here after the gates have closed really special!
We’ll start our walk before sunset when we hope that many of our daytime wild birds such as Song Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Treecreeper and Nuthatch will offer confiding views in the quiet of the evening. We’ll be looking out for our Green Woodpeckers, one of cemeteries star species, which might be seen feeding on the ground hopefully with some newly fledged juveniles in tow! Resident Buzzards and Sparrowhawk often show well towards dusk and Swifts congregate overhead feeding up on the bountiful insects as the light fades.
As darkness falls we’ll be in unfamiliar territory as no one has really surveyed or watched the cemetery after hours – will we hear a Tawny Owl? Or maybe catch sight of a Fox on the prowl? We’ll be armed with our Bat detectors too and are excited to see which species are hunting the insect rich grassland and patrolling the tree lined avenues. Pipistrelles will be about but can we locate any Noctules or Brown Long Eared Bats?
This is a fabulous opportunity to explore this wonderful site at night, adding to understanding and knowledge of its biodiversity and we expect the walk to book up quickly.
Start: Meet at the chapel at 20.15 for a 20.30 start
Duration: c2 hours
Cost: Free – though any donations to Friends of Nottingham Road Cemetery are most welcome!
How to book – please register your interest by email to info@ naturalderbyshiretours.uk
Parking: The cemetery car parks will not be available so please use public transport if possible or park sensibly on nearby streets being careful not to block access or disturb residents.
Please dress appropriately for the weather. Antony will have a spotting scope for all to share and a couple of pairs of binoculars to borrow but please bring your own if you have them. If you own or have access to a bat detector please bring it along too! Long trousers, a hat or hooded top and insect repellent are recommended as there can be biting insects.