Bat pole required

[Canski]

My ecologist has informed me that because I have no  trees on my plot that I now need to install a telegraph pole or similar in the garden to hang bat boxes off prior to demolition. I'm now searching for a supplier.

 

This is really annoying because I had an overhead electric supply disconnected and the pole removed from site last year. Whatever next !!

[Kelvin]

Re-read! Soz. So they can roost within the current building which you’re removing so you need to provide a method of roosting? 

Edited February 20, 2023 by Kelvin

[crispy_wafer]

I incorporated a bat box in to my build, as specified by planning.  Inexpensive, simply slips into a cavity.  Might be an alternative.

[Canski]

This is to temporarily re house the bats that I don't have until the new houses are built.

[ToughButterCup]

No end of suppliers online.

If you have a minute and some scrap lying round the site, here's a video.

 

But if - like me - you are anxious to do the right thing: don't. Because nobody checks your 'bat box'. You need to find a spare telegraph pole and pop it in the ground with what appears  to be a bat box dangling off it.

 

The problem will be finding an old cheap knackered telegraph pole, I think.

Cynical? Me? 

 

Yes.

[Canski]

7 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

No end of suppliers online.

If you have a minute and some scrap lying round the site, here's a video.

 

But if - like me - you are anxious to do the right thing: don't. Because nobody checks your 'bat box'. You need to find a spare telegraph pole and pop it in the ground with what appears  to be a bat box dangling off it.

 

The problem will be finding an old cheap knackered telegraph pole, I think.

Cynical? Me? 

 

Yes.

Loads of poles around but nowhere near to me. I can't exactly drop one int the back of my Astra estate either. Thanks for the video link. Thats the easy bit.

[ToughButterCup]

20 foot scaff pole will do....

[Canski]

Thats what I thought but he says not. He needs to be able to take the little invisible, constipated creatures in the 4 boxes ( one for each species) out of my roof and into the boxes. 

[joe90]

1 hour ago, Canski said:

I can't exactly drop one int the back of my Astra estate

When I worked fir BT donkeys years ago I managed to get a 16ft pole on the roof rack of my Ford Corsair 😱

[Temp]

What about a tripod like structure with  whatever batman wants on top?

[Temp]

Otherwise look for a man with van/flatbed in your area to go pick one up from en ebay seller? Erecting it might be fun.

[saveasteading]

The reason for a tree being necessary is probably shade and stability. Each species will have different particulars for height off the ground and how it is affected by the sun...warmed or shaded.  I don't imagine they would stay long in a box that swayed in the wind.  I can't remember the particulars, but do remember nailing 3 boxes onto trees at about 3m up, and facing a certain way.

So do check the height requirement first.

I can't see any reason why any chunky timber wouldn't do the job. But an old TP or tree trunk prior to processing should be cheapest.

Where do BT offload them?

 

As to the boxes, they are about £40 each or make your own from a scaffold board (instructions are online).

 

[Temp]

It occurs to me the batman probably needs the pole strong and secure enough to lean a ladder against it to climb up.

[Homewood]

4 hours ago, Canski said:

This is to temporarily re house the bats that I don't have until the new houses are built.

this is too funny…. Only because my planning has been delayed a year to survey again the bats that I also don’t have 😂. Used to like those furry critters. Now not so keen 

[Canski]

45 minutes ago, Homewood said:

this is too funny…. Only because my planning has been delayed a year to survey again the bats that I also don’t have 😂. Used to like those furry critters. Now not so keen 

Both myself and my pocket feel your pain.

[Canski]

50 minutes ago, Temp said:

It occurs to me the batman probably needs the pole strong and secure enough to lean a ladder against it to climb up.

He can use my tower

[saveasteading]

8 hours ago, Canski said:

out of my roof and into the boxes. 

This is the important issue. If there were no bats then there should be no reason to build a temporary housing.

 

4 hours ago, Canski said:

to survey again the bats that I also don’t have

An expert batman knows there are no bats and never are any bats. This doesn't sound like an expert OR it is a chance to double the fee.

 

It occurs to me that I put the boxes up using a scissor lift, because one was handy. so i think it was more like 4m up, and any less was not allowed.

Edited February 21, 2023 by saveasteading

[Dave Jones]

4.8m length of 4x2 nailed to a normal 100mm fence post. Job done for less than £50

 

or just ignore the cretin and crack on.

[ToughButterCup]

Could you tell us, is the positioning of a bat pole a  precondition of your planning permission? Because if it isn't then I would be tempted to ignore what this ecologist says.

[Canski]

14 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

Could you tell us, is the positioning of a bat pole a  precondition of your planning permission? Because if it isn't then I would be tempted to ignore what this ecologist says.

 

37 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

4.8m length of 4x2 nailed to a normal 100mm fence post. Job done for less than £50

 

or just ignore the cretin and crack on.

I’d love to ignore him but it will be a planning condition I expect. Whatever these guys say has to happen. They have shredded my nerves.

[Canski]

17 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

Could you tell us, is the positioning of a bat pole a  precondition of your planning permission? Because if it isn't then I would be tempted to ignore what this ecologist says.

I’m sure it will be. 

[Dave Jones]

no one is ever going to check, in the remote event they do. wooops and get the 4x2 out.

[Canski]

7 hours ago, saveasteading said:

This is the important issue. If there were no bats then there should be no reason to build a temporary housing.

 

He saw bats in the 30 minutes that I wasn’t there. In the previous 3 surveys of around 2.5 hours no bats were spotted. I just don’t believe him. On one of the surveys we saw a swift circle over the roof and fly away. I was there then and it even went on the report that it had entered the roof. The guy is a habitual liar. never leave these guys unattended. 
 

An expert batman knows there are no bats and never are any bats. This doesn't sound like an expert OR it is a chance to double the fee.
 

His credentials say he is. 

 

It occurs to me that I put the boxes up using a scissor lift, because one was handy. so i think it was more like 4m up, and any less was not allowed.

 

[Canski]

6 minutes ago, Dave Jones said:

no one is ever going to check, in the remote event they do. wooops and get the 4x2 out.

he has to come up for a ride on the cherry picker when we dismantle the roof. If he finds a bat it will need moving. I’m 99% sure he won’t find any, but the job will be stopped if I don’t make provision. 

Edited February 21, 2023 by Canski

[ToughButterCup]

47 minutes ago, Canski said:

.... Whatever these guys say has to happen. They have shredded my nerves.

 

Join the An-Ecologist-Shredded-My-Nerves club.

I got so annoyed by the incompetence shown by mine, I paid half the bill because that was what I thought was fair. 

 

The key thing about ecology is that ecology-focused  Conditions relevant to your site must be evidence based

 

You say that the ecologist has found no evidence of bats. There's no evidence of tigers either, (I bet). And you're not being asked to erect a tiger-proof fence (I hope)

 

In that respect your response above ....

53 minutes ago, Canski said:

I’m sure it will be. 

.

is understandable (because you are keeping your eye on the main prize - Planning Permission).

 

May I suggest you

• make sure you know when he is on site - make him give you a schedule
• shadow his every step when he is there
• make him give you the evidence
• and in the absence of evidence , relax and 
• have a plan ready for when there is evidence

Just double checking: have a look at planning permissions given round your area - say 5k or so. Is there any evidence of bat activity in those Planning Applications

? And if there is, what mitigation was conditioned?

 

If there is no other locally recorded bat activity ...... and you have had a really good look in your roof space.

 

It is very easy to be a really sloppy ecologist. First hand evidence available on request.