The course is run by me, Sue Searle BSc, PGDip, MCIEEM, Principal Ecologist with over 20 years’ experience as a bat worker and I look forward to sharing my knowledge and skills with you! 

Introduction to Bats 

There is one video in this course which covers a comprehensive range of topics to do with bats and in particular UK bats. It covers ecology, legislation and more. Take your time to go through it, maybe pause it and take notes or do some research. Don’t forget to give yourself a break too! That’s the beauty of videos! Allow 4-5 hours for this. 

There is also a handout of the talk.

Surveying Buildings for Bats

This section of the course is about surveying buildings – the main place to find bats roosting. 

Bat Activity Surveys: Emergence and Transects – Online Course

There are 3 videos in this part of the course which covers a comprehensive range of topics to do with undertaking bat transect and emergence surveys. This is a great introduction to practical surveying of bats outside the roost and is a good grounding for getting experience on bat surveying and working towards your bat survey licence. 

Take your time to go through it, maybe pause it and take notes or do some research. Allow 4-5 hours for this. 

Video 1: Bat Activity Surveys: Emergence and Transects classroom session giving underlying principles of how to plan and carry out surveys, timings of surveys, what you are looking for, equipment needed and health and safety considerations.

Video 2: How to do an emergence survey. Sue Searle, Principal Ecologist with 20 years bat experience takes you through the whole process of an emergence survey at a real site. Watch bats emerge and see how records are kept and what equipment was used.

Video 3: How to do a transect survey. Sue Searle takes you out to do a transect survey at a field/woodland site and shows planning the route, using bat detectors, stopping stations, making records of bat sightings and timings of the survey.

I am sure at the end of this course you will feel you know a LOT about bats! Maybe you can start to get involved in doing surveys with your local bat group or bat consultants. It’s a great way to consolidate your learning! 

Other online bat courses that ETUK provide include:

• Architectural Terms for Bat Workers
• Health and Safety for Bat Workers
• Legislation for Bat Workers
• Bats and Trees

These might be ones that you will consider after this course if you want to know even more – these are all useful courses if you are working towards your bat licence. 

At the end of the course please complete the end of course quiz and if you get over 70% you will automatically receive a Certificate.

If you have any difficulties with the course or the course materials please contact us on [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Enjoy the course!