The latest issue of Bat News perfectly timed by arriving on International Bat Appreciation Day!

🦇Join us and @ucllifesciences.bsky.social on 15 April, 5:00–8.30pm, for a screening of The Invisible Mammal followed by a Q&A session, bat walk and drinks at a local pub.

This is a free event but you have to register here: lnkd.in/eRj6cbtY . Donations are optional but always more than welcome!

Had been looking forward to another visit to Bowdown Woods with James Shipman and others from the Berks and South Bucks Bat Group and it did not disappoint. Had a day of checking boxes and finally got to meet pipistrelles and a noctule up close - magic! Thank you, James!

Join the Biggest Hour for Earth | Earth Hour Join us again next year for Earth Hour 2026 on Saturday, 28th March at 8:30 pm your local time as we create the Biggest Hour for Earth.

Unnecessary or badly designed lighting is harmful to humans and wildlife, particularly nocturnal species like #bats, as well as wasting energy. Turn off your lights for #EarthHour www.earthhour.org

But also explore how to reduce light pollution all year round. www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/t...

Had a great time at the Oxford Literary Festival yesterday, and it was incredible to hear questions answered by Michael Morpurgo, Isabella Tree, and BCT President and complete legend Chris Packham!

"We cannot continue to treat nature as separate to our economies, nature is our economy and all businesses have an impact and depend on it." - Katie Leach @green-alliance.org.uk blog

www.bats.org.uk/about-bats/w...

https://eastsideprojects.org/product/monster-chetwynd-bat-opera-heavy-metal-2019/

🦇 #BatsInArt #PreciousBats #British #Contemporary #MonsterChetwynd
Monster Chetwynd (b. 1973)
BAT OPERA (HEAVY METAL), 2019
Three colour silk screen on mirrored silver polychrome card

Thank you to Philip Parker for his great talk last night. His commitment to the Bats in Churches project is incredible, even sleeping in churches overnight to complete surveys! That was our last talk of the season, but do join our WhatsApp group to stay in touch on projects for the upcoming season.

Ha! Do need to add that one...

Happy World Book Day! What’s your favourite bat-related book? Which titles should we add to our shelves? Let us know!

Do you like bats? Do you like churches? If you answered ‘yes’ to either or both questions, be sure to join our Zoom talk tomorrow!

And if you’re a member, be sure to join us at 7pm to hear more about the group and how you can get more involved.

DM for more details!

Coming soon! The Social Lives of Bats edited by Christina R. Stanley 🦇

This ground-breaking book offers unique insights into bat society and relationships, from familial bonds, to friendship, group dynamics and even altruism.

Learn more and preorder your copy ➡️ https://tinyurl.com/c97wpk7e

🦇 #FlyingFoxes
Please #TakeAction to end the shooting permits in Queensland!
You don't need to be an AUS citizen; just click "rest of the world" on the website, copy & paste the text. As @friendsofbats.bsky.social said: "Just send them an email wherever you are, tell them the world is watching" !

🦇 It's March! Bats may begin to emerge and signs of limited activity can be seen (if you haven't already!). There are small numbers feeding as it gets warmer. In bad weather, they may become torpid again.

🎤 Join John Lindley from South Stoke Wildlife & Conservation Group at #TVERCconf to learn how a small Oxfordshire village recorded 1,750 species! Get tips on surveying, ID, and community involvement.

🗓️ Saturday 21st March | 📍 Cholsey Great Hall

🎟️ Book now: https://f.mtr.cool/cxyikxncug

Make chalk streams an irreplaceable habitat Close

⏱️ One week to go! Use our simple template to take action to protect chalk streams.

The proposed new planning rules mentions chalk streams for the first time ever. But we need your help to make sure this new protection is as strong as possible.

Very enjoyable, but would have benefited from more bats.

Old water tower, now a bat house

If there was a competition for best bat 🦇 house, this would get my nomination. Home to Lesser False Vampire bats…

‘Bats in Churches’. A talk with Philip Parker is to be held online on Thurs 5th March at 7.30 pm, with our AGM taking place at 7 pm.

The link to this Zoom chat has been sent to our members. Should you be a non-member and wish to attend please send me a DM!

#oxfordshire #bats #biodiversity

A massive thank you to Jo Ferguson from the BCT for her hugely engaging talk last night. We covered a lot of ground and some really interesting topics, clearly and concisely in a short space of time. Thanks also to everyone who attended - it was our largest turnout so far!

#oxfordshire #bats

Just a reminder that this talk will be happening on Thursday, we hope to see you there!

#oxfordshire #oxford #bats #batsofinstagram

A video sample every minute gave a fly-out estimate of these wrinkle-lipped bats at Nayang in Thailand yesterday of 225,080 bats, but “a bit more than 200,000” is perhaps a more honest view of the accuracy. I like the way the column keeps clipping that tree.

‘Landscaping for Bats, Biodiversity and People’. A talk by Jo Ferguson to be held online on Thursday, 5th February at 7.30 pm.

The link to this Zoom chat will be sent out to our members soon. Should you be a non-member and wish to attend please send me a DM! Jo Ferguson, the Built Environment Officer from the Bat Conservation Trust, delivers a talk showing how to design, plant and manage outdoor spaces that support bat populations, boost wider biodiversity, and create enjoyable, rich places for people.

‘Landscaping for Bats, Biodiversity and People’. A talk to be held online on Thurs 5th Feb at 7.30 pm.

The link to this Zoom chat will be sent out to our members soon. Should you be a non-member and wish to attend please send me a DM!

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2022/sublime-beauty-korean-ceramics-from-a-private-collection/a-blue-and-white-bats-hexalobed-dish-joseon

🦇 #BatsInArt #PreciousBats #19thCentury #Korean #JoseonDynasty
BATS, 19th century
Blue and white hexalobed dish, Joseon dynasty,
ceramics

About Bats - Bat Conservation Trust Bats are fascinating animals – the only true flying mammal. There are 1,500 species of bats in the world (as of September 2025), and more are still bein...

🦇 Bats are long-lived mammals which reproduce slowly: each female can only produce one baby per year and not all females will have babies each year. For this reason their populations are very slow to grow or recover their numbers.

www.bats.org.uk/about-bats

https://www.artsy.net/artwork/francisco-toledo-bat-on-yellow-background-kite

🦇 #BatsInArt #PreciousBats #FranciscoToledo #MexicanArt #Contemporary
Francisco Toledo (1940 - 2019)
BAT ON YELLOW BACKGROUND (Kite), 2009
Stencil on handmade paper kite

🦇 Everything you need to know about the Nocturnal Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show can be found here: www.bats.org.uk/our-work/noc... . Explore our pages to learn about the concept, why gardens are important for bats, the fantastic bat sculpture, the garden designer and more!

Ha! They are amazing photos.

Merry Christmas, all! As a gift here is Kate Bush dressed up as a bat.

Thank you to all who attended our talk last night, and a special thank you to Stuart Newson from the British Trust for Ornithology. An exceptional and captivating speaker with an inspiring and bold vision, and a very unique recording studio!