As the last rays of summer sunlight fade behind the hedgerows and the familiar sounds of daytime farm life give way to evening stillness, something magical is about to begin. Most visitors see our community farm during daylight hours—the bustling activity, the workshops, and enjoy our outdoor spaces. But what happens when darkness falls? That’s when some of our most fascinating residents emerge from their hidden roosts to begin their nightly hunt.

The Night Shift Begins

Every evening at Burscough Community Farm, as we lock up the buildings and head home, an entirely different world springs to life. Bats—those remarkable flying mammals that have called this landscape home for thousands of years—take over the skies above our fields, ponds, and woodland edges.

These aren’t just any ordinary creatures. Bats are aerial acrobats, ecological engineers, and natural pest controllers all rolled into one. A single pipistrelle bat can catch and consume over 3,000 insects in a single night. Multiply that by the dozens of bats hunting across our farm, and you begin to understand why these animals are so crucial to maintaining the delicate balance of our agricultural ecosystem.

Meet Our Nocturnal Neighbours

Our farm provides the perfect habitat for several bat species commonly found in Lancashire. The mix of open farmland, mature hedgerows, woodland edges, and water features creates an ideal hunting ground for different types of bats, each with their specialised feeding techniques.

Pipistrelles are our most common residents—tiny powerhouses weighing no more than a £1 coin, yet capable of incredible aerial manoeuvres as they pursue moths and midges. You’ll often see them emerging just after sunset, their erratic flight patterns cutting through the air above our fields.

Noctules are the speed demons of the bat world, flying high and fast with distinctive loud echolocation calls. These larger bats often hunt over our open grassland areas, diving down to snatch beetles and flying ants.

Near our ponds and along the Ellerbrook, Daubenton’s bats skim the water surface with their feet, scooping up insects with remarkable precision. Watching them hunt is like witnessing a perfectly choreographed dance between predator and water.

A Rare Opportunity to Step Into Their World

This August, we’re offering you the chance to experience this hidden world firsthand. On Wednesday, 20th August at 8:00 PM, we’re hosting a guided Bat Walk that will transform how you think about farmland wildlife.

Wildlife expert Andrew Clark will lead our small group through the farm’s most bat-active areas, sharing insights gained from studying these remarkable creatures. But this isn’t just a lecture—it’s an immersive experience where you’ll use professional bat detectors to eavesdrop on the ultrasonic conversations happening all around us.

These specialised devices convert the high-frequency echolocation calls of bats into sounds we can hear, effectively giving you superhuman hearing for the evening. You’ll learn to distinguish between species by their unique call patterns—the rapid-fire chatter of pipistrelles, the distinctive “smack” of noctule calls, and the rhythmic sweeps of Daubenton’s bats hunting over water.

More Than Just Bats

While bats are the stars of our evening adventure, they’re not the only nocturnal performers you might encounter. Our farm comes alive with wildlife after dark. Tawny owls call from trees along our boundaries. Barn owls quarter the grassland on silent wings, their ghostly forms appearing and disappearing in the gathering darkness. If we’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of deer moving cautiously through our wildflower meadows, or spot the flutter of moths drawn to our native plants.

This biodiversity isn’t accidental—it’s the result of our commitment to farming in harmony with nature. Our conservation efforts, from maintaining wildlife corridors to creating diverse habitats, provide homes for these incredible creatures while still producing food for our community.

The Perfect Family Adventure

Our Bat Walk is designed to be accessible for all ages, with easy walking on mostly flat terrain. We’ll move at a gentle pace, stopping frequently to listen, learn, and observe. It’s an adventure, but a comfortable one.

Warming Up Afterwards

Lancashire evenings can have a chill, even in August, so after our hour-long exploration, we’ll gather indoors for hot drinks and biscuits. This is often the best part of the evening—the chance to share what you’ve seen, ask Andrew those burning questions, and connect with other members of our community who share your curiosity about the natural world.

Why This Matters

In our increasingly urbanised world, opportunities to connect with truly wild places and creatures are becoming rarer. Yet here, just minutes from Burscough’s town centre, we have a thriving ecosystem where ancient patterns of predator and prey, hunter and hunted, play out every single night.

By joining our Bat Walk, you’re not just having an enjoyable evening out—you’re supporting conservation education, contributing to our community farm’s mission, and becoming part of a growing movement of people who understand that farming and wildlife conservation aren’t opposing forces, but essential partners.

Every person who develops an appreciation for bats becomes an advocate for the habitats they need. Every child who experiences the thrill of detecting echolocation calls grows up with a deeper understanding of ecological connections. Every family that spends an evening discovering nocturnal wildlife is a family more likely to support conservation efforts in their own community.

Join Us for an Unforgettable Evening

Wednesday, 20th August, 8:00 PM
Just £2 per person to cover refreshments
Suitable for all ages
Limited spaces available

What to bring: sturdy footwear, weather-appropriate clothing, and a torch (red filter preferred). Most importantly, bring your curiosity and sense of wonder.

The darkness holds secrets, and we can’t wait to share them with you. Book your place today and prepare to see our community farm—and the incredible wildlife that calls it home—in a completely new light.

Or perhaps we should say, in a completely new darkness.

Ready to discover what happens when the sun goes down? Contact us to secure your spot on this magical evening adventure. Spaces are limited to ensure the best possible experience for everyone and minimal disturbance to our winged neighbours.

Burscough Community Farm: Where every season, every time of day, and every corner holds new discoveries waiting to be made.