Bat monitoring

Irish bat distribution 2007-2010

You don’t need to go to outer space to make new discoveries! There are plenty of places in Ireland where we have no records for bats – in towns and in rural areas, north and south. The Bat Distribution Project gets underway in 2007. We are looking to increase our knowledge of bats throughout the country and fill in the many gaps where no bats have yet been recorded. We want to see the bat maps full of dots (see the data page on this website). If you have a bat detector, have had some level of bat detector training and can identify even one bat species with confidence then you can definitely help. We are not necessarily looking for new roost records, although these are always welcome, but we even want to record where bats are found in flight. So, if you are willing to put your name down we will send you an information pack that will include maps of your area with 10km squares highlighted where we need records. We will also let you know which species to look out for in each square.

How do I survey?

With a bat detector. If you have no experience of using a bat detector we would like you to attend a training course before making new bat records. If you don’t have a bat detector Bat Conservation Ireland has a limited supply available on loan (we will ask for a deposit as security). For training on how to use a detector you can enrol for one of the free Daubenton’s courses or for the Long-eared monitoring scheme and find out how to identify these species for starters. For other species come along on a few bat walks (also usually free) and make sure to ask the leader lots of questions. There are also one or two bat detector workshops running every year. Bat detector workshops have a registration fee. There are also CDs for sale online (see links to Alana Ecology and The BCT on our links page) that you can listen to and these should help you develop an ear for bat sounds.

When and where?

We will provide you with maps of the areas that we would most like records from. We will happily take records from other locations, and if you are travelling to somewhere in particular where you would like to bring your detector please let us know in advance and we can send you maps with 10km squares of that area. It is probably best to target your square on a warm summer’s night and if you are looking for a particular species, to select the kind of habitat it is most likely to use for foraging. We will give you information on which habitats to search in, in your information pack. You can go out as often or as little as you like – there is no time limit although be aware of changing seasons and the fact that bats are less likely to fly once the temperature drops below 8 degrees or thereabouts. Once your target species is found in one 10km square you can feel free to move on to another square – that’s why we call it the ‘Square Bashing’ project!

Can I catch the bat to check its identification?

We would ask you not to interfere with bat behaviour for example by trying to catch bats or by shining torches on a roof while you wait for them to emerge. Please do not enter roosts unless you have been trained and licensed to do so. Just use your ears, tune in the bat detector and you will find bats where they have never yet been recorded in Ireland! Please never handle live bats unless absolutely necessary and if so, always wear gloves. Please contact us or your local Wildlife Conservation Ranger if you find a grounded live bat and need advice.

What do I record?

You will be asked to record the date, time and location each bat was recorded. You will be asked to note whether the bat was in flight or emerging from a roost. If emerging from a roost you will be asked to give some details on the type of roost. The number of bats you observed on each occasion. How you identified the bat (e.g. what kind of detector). Other information such as weather on the survey evening, and surrounding habitats would also be useful for the database. You will be provided with all you need to fill in and return to us.

When should I send my records back?

Please return your records by the end of October 2007. We will then compile the records on our database and figure out which areas to target in 2008.

Who is funding this project?

As a volunteer surveyor for the project, YOU are the main contributor. Funding for administration and materials are provided mainly by The National Parks and Wildlife Service of The Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The NPWS is the State body responsible for conservation and protection of wildlife in Ireland. Additional funding for training materials and courses has been provided by The Heritage Council.

ONLINE REGISTRATION

Finally, by contributing to our knowledge of bat distribution in Ireland you are making an invaluable contribution to furthering bat conservation work here. Always be aware of your own health and safety.

ALWAYS

• Take care when working at night
• Check your survey area during daylight hours to be sure it is safe and you have permission to work there
• Make sure you have a companion surveyor
• Make sure that someone at home knows where you are
• Carry a mobile phone
• Bring torches with spare batteries
• Wear sturdy footwear
• Bring extra layers of clothing
• Take extra-care working alongside rivers, canals or lakes
• Check the weather forecast before you leave

Although the rabies-type virus EBLV has not been found in Irish bats, unless you have a licence to handle bats and have up-to-date rabies vaccinations Bat Conservation Ireland does not recommend that you handle live specimens.