Bat on a Hot Slate Roof

After a month away there was plenty to be done in the garden today. All the good weather we missed certainly got the grass and weeds growing!

As I got the mower out the garage, I thought I spotted my first Swallow of Summer as I watched a bird dart about catching flies above the front of the house. However, its flight pattern was not that of a Swallow, more like a bats'. No wonder, it was a bat, but what was it doing flying about in a warm sunny afternoon? Had nobody told it bats only come out at night! I watched as it continued to fly about in the leeward side of the house, where flies gather and bats can often be seen at dusk.

I was interested to see where it would go and was quite surprised when it landed rather clumsily on our slate roof. Too good a blip opportunity to miss, so the camera was quickly sought and the bat duly blipped. It flew off at one point and after flying about catching flies for a few minutes landed on exactly the same point on the roof. It did this again, although when it landed it walked down the slates into the gutter and proceeded to try and get under the slates. Yikes, I certainly don't want bats in our roof voids! I could see it under the waterproof membrane, but when I got the camera out for another shot it was gone and wasn't seen again. I checked the roof and could see no obvious way it could get under the slates....I hope!! I am conscious certain bats are protected, but haven't had the chance to identify this wee fellow yet.

Maybe someone out their in blip world can help identify him and explain his unusual behaviour?