Tom Marshall
The Big Bat Count Taunton
Welcome to The Big Bat Count Taunton!
Part of Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Great Somerset Wildlife Count, and in partnership with the Somerset Bat Group, the Big Bat Count Taunton is all about inviting people to enter the fascinating world of bats; to identify them, understand their importance in our ecosystems, and ultimately support efforts to conserve these very special creatures across the county.
It’s your chance to get involved in real-time, night-time monitoring of a variety of bat species across Taunton in this very special pilot event which employs the very latest, cutting edge bat detecting technology to collect data about what bats we have in one of the county’s biggest urban environments. The more data we collect about the county’s bats, the better we can conserve the habitats they call home.
There are two ways to get involved, detailed below. Please make sure you read both options in full, including the extra information in the drop downs, before booking.
Daubenton;s Bat, myotis daubentoni, adult, flying over water - Dale Sutton/2020vision
Guided bat survey walk
Starting out at Somerset Wildlife Trust HQ you will join an expert bat ecologist for a guided session around central Taunton.
Horseshoe bat - Brian Phipps
Group survey
Starting out at Somerset Wildlife Trust HQ you’ll get a short briefing, collect a bat detector and your group will head out to a chosen area of Taunton.
More information
Guided bat survey walk
You’ll be tracking the bats you come across using a bat detector, at the same time get insights from the expert about what to look out for on your own patch and some things you can do to support their habitats.
Max 15 people, please book a ticket for each person who would like to attend. Suitable for ages 8+. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Group survey
We have divided Taunton into 13 ‘zones’ and when checking out your ticket purchase, you will be asked to select your preferred zone. You could survey near your street or local park, or ask the experts for tips on where to explore within your zone. Then head back to base to return your kit and find out the results.
Groups must contain at least 3 adults (18+), one whom must have use of an iNaturalist account on their phone. Please be aware satellite groups will not be accompanied by a member of staff or volunteer. At least one member of the group must attend the briefing and debrief at SWT HQ.
Group ‘leads’ should book ONE GROUP TICKET per group (select "book as an individual -> Survey Group ticket").
Can't make the date or want to record elsewhere? Our bat detectors are available for hire to groups, please do get in touch if your group would like help from experts to do a Big Bat Count on your patch: somersetbatgroup@gmail.com
Ticket price for this events will go towards the Somerset Bat Group and costs of running the event.
Horseshoe bat - Brian Phipps
Amy Lewis
Tom Marshall