Seeing bats in the wild is so exciting!
If you know of a bat roost in Essex, or if you regularly have bats flying over your garden, then please let us know!
3 reasons to record bat sightings:
Distribution studies ~ we hope to map bat species across Essex
Identify key sites ~ where do bats roost, hibernate and feed?
Monitor populations ~ how do bat numbers change over time?
You can get records from one-off sightings or by doing formal surveys.
Find out more about surveys for beginners and experts by clicking opposite
What to record:
What? Type of bat (species name) if known
Where? Address of location, road name, post code, 6 figure grid reference
Who by? Recorder's name - whoever spotted the bats
When? Date the bat was seen
Details? Number of bats, place found e.g. on a wall, in flight, on the floor), whether the bat was flying, swarming, hibernating etc. Even the sex and age of the bats is useful (though difficult to find out if the bat just flies past you!)
Where to send records: For further advice or to submit records please email our recording officer
We will put all records into the MapMate database to provide distribution maps for the county
Please keep visiting this page to see the maps as they are made!
