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Putting up a Bat Detector

Do you want to get involved in the Bailiwick Bat Survey and become a bat detective? It's super easy! Discover here how to set up your bat detector which you can borrow from the AWT!
Common Noctule Bat (cred Tom Marshall)

This blog post was written with guidance from the AWT’s Ecologist and the Bailiwick Bat Survey.

It’s the third year of the Bailiwick Bat Survey (BBS) and so far, the pan-island project has confirmed four new species of bat in Alderney!

The BBS is a citizen science project, whereby members of the public can volunteer to put up a bat detector to help collect vital data on species presence. You select your survey square (one of 48 across the island) and put up a bat detector for four nights before the end of July and once again before the end of September.

While ‘putting up a bat detector’ may sound daunting, it really couldn’t be easier! So, if you’d like to become a citizen scientist/bat detective (we’re still looking for volunteers!) or are just intrigued by the title of this blog post, read below:

BBS Alderney Square Map

Before deploying the detector

1)    Reserve your survey square at https://bats.org.gg/. This could cover your favourite walk, nearby land or even your garden!

2)    Select a time to collect the bat detector kit from our Wildlife Information Centre.

3)    Register for the BTO’s Acoustic Pipeline (which will analyse your data for you and tell you which species are flying around your area!), but don’t worry, this is free, easy to use and instructions on how to do it are provided.

4)    Install the Song Meter Mini Configurator app on your phone or tablet. This will add an accurate location for where you have deployed the detector so we know where the bats are!

Setting up the detector

1)    Insert the batteries and SD card into the detector.

2)    Head out to your survey square and don’t forget to take your phone to mark the location! Ideally, the detectors will be placed as centrally in the square as possible.

3)    Take the metal stake and, using the mallet, hammer it vertically into the ground.

4)    Slot in the bottom pole to the metal stake and secure using reusable cable ties.

Putting Up a Bat Detector (Step 9)
Putting Up a Bat Detector

5)    Connect the remaining three poles together (but do not attach to the metal stake yet) and mount the detector to the top pole.

6)    Open the lid of the bat detector and turn it on.

7)    Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and launch the Song Meter Mini Configurator.

8)    Follow the BBS Survey Instructions to save the location of the detector.

9)    Attach the poles to the base pole with the detector at the highest point.

10)    Finally, make sure the bat detector is stable.

Putting Up a Bat Detector

And that’s it!

The detector is then left for four nights before it is taken down and the results are analysed to unveil which bat species have been flying around. Who knows… your square may discover another new species on the island!

To find out more about the BBS and read the previous year’s reports, click here!

To get involved in this year’s BBS, please contact Matt Lewis (Ecologist) at ecologist@alderneywildlife.org.

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