A brown long eared bat flying in front of gravestone

A world beyond our earshot: how we can identify bats in churches using sound

Volunteers for the National Bats in Churches survey use bat detectors to record sounds to help us ID bats in churches. But what happens next, and how can we tell which species is which? Welcome to the world beyond our earshot.

A brown long eared bat flying in front of a church

15 churches and counting! Bats in Churches volunteers Phil and Ilene on their batty summer

Volunteers Phil Atkin and Ilene Sterns have so far surveyed 15 churches for the National Bats in Churches survey. Here, Ilene shares some of their experiences and highlights, as well as her thoughts on what makes volunteering so rewarding.

Aerial view of church with steeple, with churchyard, houses and far views

Bats in the Belfry

Bats in Churches training and survey officer Claire Boothby introduces the project, its aims, the challenges, and shares some of the questions we’re hoping to answer.