Richard Ford - Digitalwildlife.co.uk

23/03/2026

British Wildlife at Night | Brown Long-Eared Bat Emergence
Brown long-eared bats emerge from their roost on a still, warm evening in East Hampshire. After spending the day in torpor, they must first warm up before venturing out into the darkness to forage.

Unlike many bat species, brown long-eared bats rely heavily on their exceptional hearing, often listening for the faint sounds of insects and gleaning them directly from vegetation. Their slow, agile flight and relatively good eyesight make them perfectly adapted to hunting within woodland and cluttered habitats.
A quiet glimpse into the secret life of one of the UK’s most fascinating nocturnal mammals.

02/03/2026

This photo shows two roosting Common pipistrelle in a CJM bat box at dusk alongside a roosting Blue tit in February, an illustration of just how small these bats really are when compared with the more familiar garden bird.

Bats use boxes throughout the season — to breed, to hibernate, or during the interim flux periods between seasons — and they frequently change roosting sites across the year, relying on a network of suitable roosts within the wider environment. Common pipistrelles are our most familiar and adaptable species, readily using boxes, buildings and trees, and are also the bats most likely to venture out to feed on mild winter evenings. 🦇


Hampshire Bat Group Bat Conservation Trust

12/02/2026

I am incredibly grateful to the friends and mentors involved in the Sussex and Hampshire Bat Groups for the opportunity to get involved in hibernation surveys across both counties this season.

It’s always great to spend time with knowledgeable people, and I’ve been lucky to encounter a good range of species in hibernation sites this year.

Thanks to everyone who gives their time to help monitor and protect these important sites.


Hampshire Bat Group Sussex Bat Group

12/02/2026

Delighted to have received a distinction in Jim Mulholland’s BATS Research & Training Bats & Trees Masterclass. https://www.batlicence.co.uk/bat-training-courses/bat-and-trees-masterclass/

Recommendation: This excellent course condenses a decade of specialist knowledge into a user-friendly eight hours. A great course for anyone interested in the ecology of trees and the way bats interact with them. 😁 🦇🌳😁

Jim is a Chartered Arboriculturist and Environmentalist. He provides independent expert advice on the management of bats and trees.

24/01/2026

I recorded around 20 Palmate Newts (Lissotriton helveticus) in a local pond in NE Hampshire this week, many of which were males in full breeding condition. Palmate Newts typically return to breeding ponds from March onwards, making this an early record. However, recent damp, mild weather may be influencing earlier movement, and such observations are becoming increasingly less unusual.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Amphibian and Reptile Group (HIWARG)AAmphibian and Reptile Conservation

04/01/2026

This weekend’s hibernation surveys with the Hampshire Bat Group
🦇 Natterer's 149, Daubenton's 10, BLE 1, Barbastelle 1 😀

Bat hibernation surveys are essential for understanding how Hampshire’s bats are coping with habitat loss, disturbance and climate change. By checking underground sites such as tunnels, cellars and ice houses during winter, ecologists can identify important roosts, track population trends and help ensure these sensitive sites are protected.

This work is vital for conserving some of our rarest and most vulnerable bat species at their most sensitive time of year.

Hampshire Bat Group

07/12/2025

Winter Bird Surveys — Cold Days, Critical Data

Winter strips the landscape back to its essentials, making bird activity easier to spot and document. These surveys provide crucial evidence on the status of declining farmland birds and pressured waterfowl, waders and birds of prey that rely on farmland, grassland, flooded fields, river valleys and coastal marshes through the colder months.

Species like yellowhammer, linnet and skylark, alongside wintering teal, wigeon, snipe, lapwing and golden plover, are facing long-term pressures from habitat loss, changing land use and increasing development around important wildlife areas. Winter surveys, measure population change and highlight where conservation funding and habitat management are urgently needed.

Every record builds the bigger ecological picture — informing planning decisions, protecting priority sites, and helping conservation organisations take real action before declines become disappearances.

Surveys provide hard evidence and real protection for nature when it matters most.



Images © Richard Ford - www.Digitalwildlife.co.uk

05/12/2025

Love them or hate them, Grey Squirrels are part of the British countryside. They may be controversial for their impact on native Reds, but they’re undeniably charismatic, adaptable, and full of personality.

This individual is something truly special — a rare albino Grey Squirrel. Albino squirrels have a genetic mutation that prevents the production of melanin, giving them pure white fur and distinctive pink-red eyes. Unlike leucistic animals (which have pale fur but normal eye colour), true albinism is extremely uncommon, estimated to occur in around 1 in 100,000 squirrels.

Unfortunately, albinism comes with real challenges:
🦅 Higher predation risk — their bright white coat makes them much easier for predators to spot. In the UK this can include birds of prey and domestic cats.
🌞 Eye and vision issues — the lack of pigment can cause light-sensitivity and reduced eyesight.

Despite the odds, this one is out there surviving and adding a splash of winter brilliance to the woodland of our local Nature reserve managed by the Deadwater Valley Trust. A reminder that nature still holds surprises, even in the most familiar species.

Mammal Society

27/11/2025

I've just emailed my MP to tell them what nature means to me and that I want it to stay protected. Will you take action too?

I've just emailed my MP to tell them what nature means to me and that I want it to stay protected. Will you take action too?

21/11/2025

Captured on my trail camera at Deadwater Valley Trust Reserve in Bordon, this footage shows a small badger (Meles meles) family thriving in the managed woodland — a rare glimpse into their complex social lives. Badgers live in structured clans centred around shared setts and established territories, cooperating in grooming, raising young, and maintaining their underground homes. The playful behaviour seen here is vital for developing communication skills, social confidence, and strong bonds within the group.