BatChat

In this episode of BatChat, we explore the significant roost of greater horseshoe bats on the National Trust's Stackpole estate in Pembrokeshire, Wales. With insights from conservationists Maggie Andrews and Paul Culyer, we discuss the site’s impressive growth from 200 bats in 1994 to over a thousand today. Paul recounts the early discovery of the maternity roost, while Maggie shares her late husband's innovative work with bat detectors that has contributed to over three decades of data. We delve into the bats' unique behaviors, vocalizations, and the impacts of climate change on their lifecycle. The episode concludes with a celebration of bat conservation efforts and the strong community bonds formed through this important work.Leaving a review helps other listeners find the show more easily and spread the good word about bats. Don't know how to leave a comment? Check out our simple instructions here.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Steve Page from the Hampshire Bat Group is the custodian of Andrew Watson's Holgate Bat Detector, one of the first commercially available bat detectors which was developed in the 1960s. Steve built his own bat detector which kick-started his journey into bat conservation, joining the Hampshire Bat Group which led him to discovering the Holgate Detector. He's currently working to get it restored to a fully working condition and we join him in his workshop as he talks us through the components. Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

This week we visit Tattershall Church. As we’ll hear in this episode, Holy Trinity is a very important place for bats, with two maternity roosts present along with a number of other species. The site has been part of the National Bat Monitoring Programme for many years.The church is a great example of co-existence with a large number of bats and the church community have built great relationships with Lincolnshire Bat Group and they use bats as a unique selling point to engage visitors. The congregation hold bat-themed events throughout the season and have even created merchandise featuring their ‘Tatty Bat’ mascot. However, cleaning has been a constant challenge.In this episode we hear how the Bats in Churches (BiC) project supported the church to help alleviate the challenges that bats were causing and we also speak to artist Ilene Sterns whose artwork On a Wing and a Prayer was exhibited inside Holy Trinity as part of the BiC project. Leaving a review helps other listeners find the show more easily and spread the good word about bats. Don't know how to leave a comment? Check out our simple instructions here.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

This week we sit down with Edward Wells from the Somerset Bat Group and talk about bats in the county and the work being done to protect them. Edward’s interest in bats started when he was a child and has seen the bat group turn 40 with years of hands-on conservation. We discuss the county’s varied landscapes, how bat conservation has changed over the years, and some of the Somerset Bat Group’s key successes. Edward also reflects on how new technology has shaped bat research, shares examples of projects driven by local volunteers, and explains why the involvement of both amateurs and professionals still matters. Above all, he talks about working together and why there’s reason to be hopeful about the future of bats.Hear more from Somerset Bat Group with the two previous episodes:Frome after Dark; A Town on the Hunt for BatsAn Evening with Somerset's Rarest BatLeaving a review helps other listeners find the show more easily and spread the good word about bats. Don't know how to leave a comment? Check out our simple instructions here.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

North of Settle in the Yorkshire Dales lies the Hoffman Kiln, a relic of the industrial revolution. It's now an important site for bats of the Dales all year round. In this episode we chat to Dave Anderson and Dave Fisher who on Friday afternoons, in a term they've coined as Fieldwork Fridays, they spend 90 minutes surveying the kiln for bats. And they've racked up an impressive collection of data in studying bat behaviour such as crevice fidelity. We also address the challenge of balancing public interest with conservation efforts, emphasising the importance of educating visitors about the bats’ presence.Follow Dave Anderson on InstagramFollow Dave Fisher on InstagramDiscover more about the Hoffman KilnLeaving a review helps other listeners find the show more easily and spread the good word about bats. Don't know how to leave a comment? Check out our simple instructions here.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

In this episode of BatChat, we explore the 50-year history of the Vincent Wildlife Trust (VWT) and its vital role in bat conservation. I speak with CEO Lucy Rogers about her role with VWT, the organisation's founding by the Hon. Vincent Weir and its ongoing efforts to protect our rarest bat populations here in the UK. With Jenny O'Neil and Phil Morgan we discuss the importance of community involvement, collaboration with local bat groups, and the strategic initiatives that VWT is implementing to enhance bat habitats. This conversation reflects on past achievements while addressing current environmental challenges, emphasizing the commitment required to ensure that bat populations thrive for future generations.Impact Report & LHS Conservation Handbook are hereFancy volunteering for VWT? Find out how hereRead their latest news Sign up for the VWT Newsletter to receive newsletters with information and updates on the Trust’s workCurrent projects such as Horseshoe's Heading East & Natur am Byth!Leaving a review helps other listeners find the show more easily and spread the good word about bats. Don't know how to leave a comment? Check out our simple instructions here.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

Chris Packham, a renowned wildlife presenter and passionate conservationist, discusses pressing issues in wildlife protection. He reveals the alarming risks of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill on bat conservation and urges unity among nature organizations. Chris shares insights from his recent filming at Springwatch and the potential of technology in monitoring bat populations. He emphasizes treating NGO memberships as investments for nature and highlights successful rewilding efforts as beacons of hope. The conversation is both informative and empowering, urging action for wildlife.

We introduce our upcoming series, BatChat, premiering on November 5th. The series will explore the intriguing world of bats while also highlighting wildlife conservation and the amazing people working to conserve them. We conduct field interviews with bat conservationists to gain insights into their efforts and the challenges they face. In this series we'll be speaking to our President Chris Packham, bat workers studying a historical lime kiln in the Yorkshire Dales, an organisation which cares for some of the country's most important roosts and we will also visit a roost in Pembrokeshire which has shed light on how bat pups communicate with their mums. Tune in every other Wednesday to uncover the stories of bats and the individuals dedicated to protecting our natural world.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

We’ve hit a milestone - and it’s all thanks to you! In this special bonus episode, host Steve Roe takes you behind the scenes of BatChat: from the podcast’s beginnings in 2018 to the present day. Discover how the show came to be created, what goes into producing each episode, and enjoy a previously unreleased gem from one of our most loved guests: Dr Bob Stebbings.What’s Inside:The origin story: How a passion for bats (and a well-timed compliment about a “Radio 4 voice”) sparked the idea for BatChat.What really goes into making each episode—from research and interviews to editing and promotion.Some behind-the-scenes mishaps and moments that didn’t make the cut.😅From the Vaults: Never-before-heard audio from our 2022 interview with Dr Bob Stebbings.A huge thank you to our listeners and an update about Series 7.Links and Mentions:Listen back to our episode with Dr Bob Stebbings (S4E43)Logo designed by Rachel HudsonLeave us a review - here's how💝 Want to support the show?Thanks for being part of the BatChat community.Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!

S6E66 In this episode, we're in the charming market town of Frome in Somerset, where the locals take part in a hands-on citizen science event. Armed with bat detectors, participants are sent out around town to record any bats they spot.What makes this event even more exciting is the use of iNaturalist – a popular platform that collects and shares real-time wildlife data. As participants venture out at dusk, their bat sightings are immediately transmitted to the town hall chambers, where the community can track the results live on a big screen. By the end of the night, everyone reconvenes to see the collective findings and marvel at the variety of bats that call Frome home.See the results from the evening for yourselfUpcoming big bat countsInterested in taking part?Support the showPlease leave us a review or star rating if your podcast app allows it because it helps us to reach a wider audience so that we can spread the word about how great bats are. How to write a podcast review (and why you should).Got a story to share with us? Please get in touch via comms@bats.org.ukBats are magical but misunderstood. At BCT our vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Action to protect & conserve bats is having a positive impact on bat populations in the UK. We would not be able to continue our work to protect bats & their habitats without your contribution so if you can please donate. We need your support now more than ever: www.bats.org.uk/donate Thank you!