ENVIRONMENTALISTS are looking for the next Batman – and Batwoman!
Bat Conservation Ireland are undertaking an all Ireland Survey to assess levels of activity of Daubenton’s Bat (Myotis daubentonii) on our waterways and will be conducting a Bat Monitoring Training Course in Teach Gleann Cheo, Doochary, Donegal on tomorrow, Thursday, August 2nd at 8.00pm.
The Daubenton’s Bat is a medium to small-sized species which flies close to water and is easy to identify. Volunteers do not need any experience as training will given with tuneable bat detectors on the evening of the 2-3 hour Course on August 2nd, 2012 in Doochary.
After the Course Bat Conservation Ireland will supply volunteers with Bat Detectors and information packs on surveying techniques, maps and recording sheets. Each volunteer uses his/her own torch during the Survey and will be assigned a 1km stretch of waterway that is within 10km of the volunteer’s home address.
Bat Conservation Ireland recommends that you visit this stretch during the day (with the landowner’s permission) to assess the site for safety. On two evenings in August you survey this stretch of waterway (with a survey partner), using a torch and a Bat Detector. All you need to do is count Daubenton’s bat activity using the Detector and torchlight at ten points along the 1km stretch over an hour.
Volunteers will then fill out Survey Results Sheets and return them to Bat Conservation Ireland for processing. Each Volunteer will receive a report on how their participation contributed to this All Ireland monitoring scheme.
Bat Conservation Ireland have been invited to conduct the Training Course and Survey in Donegal by the Gweebarra Conservation Group. For further details email info@batconservationireland.org or visit the Gweebarra Conservation Group on Facebook.
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