Talking Bat (NeilMiddleton)

Born in Ireland & based in Sweden Alan Dalton (@Blogbirder) is a life long birder who is highly respected for his artwork & acoustic recordings of birdlife. He has his own podcast show entitled 'Wild Bird Acoustics' which takes listeners through various sound inspired journeys, as well as opportunities to learn more about bird sound & behaviour.

Alan Dalton - Blogbirder.blogspot.com

Cape Clear Island Bird Observatory

Delighted here to be chatting with Marc Holderied (Professor of Sensory Ecology, University of Bristol) who is a sensory ecologist & bioacoustician, with strong links to bio-inspired engineering. His research expertise lies in the emerging fields of acoustic camouflage & biosonar navigation, with a passion for acoustic arms races & wildlife acoustics.

Read about Marc Holderied's research here on ResearchGate

Attacus Acoustics

Hodgkin House

James Shipman is a BCT Pete Guest Award winner (2016) & highly respected within the bat community for his contributions towards bat conservation & training. Here we are delighted to be chatting with him about his career progression to date, as well as the forthcoming book (due out early 2025) entitled: Identifying Bats of Britain and Ireland - A Field Worker’s Guide Gib-bats (The Gibraltar Bats Project)

Dr. Rohit Chakravarty works for the Nature Conservation Foundation (India) as a Project Manager (High Altitudes) where as a bat researcher he is carries out studies in different landscapes, predominantly the Himalayas of Uttarakhand & the Andaman Islands. A delightful conversation exploring his life story so far & his other interests, especially birds. Follow Rohit on Twitter(X): @paintedbat 

Find out more about Rohit's research here on ResearchGate

David Koller is the marketing & communications chap that many of ELEKON's customers will have come across either online, our in person at bat conferences.

Who are ELEKON? Well, they are the company behind numerous top quality bat detecting products (e.g. BatLogger M & M2), & the sound analysis software, BatExplorer. During this interview we explore David's back story, the history of ELEKON, & take a deep dive into their bat-related products, including the BatLogger M2 which had just been launched at the time.  Visit ELEKON website here  

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

A fascinating insight into the life of Dr. Rodrigo A. Medellin (Senior Professor of Ecology & Conservation, Institute of Ecology - National Autonomous University of Mexico). Rodrigo's credentials are numerous & at the highest level, with multiple key positions held, publications produced & awards to his name. 

Find out more about Dr. Rodrigo A. Medellin here

ResearchGate - Dr. Rodrigo A. Medellin

The Bat Man of Mexico - find out more here

Whitley Fund For Nature - Mexico's Bat Man

Bat Conservation Trust (UK)

Stuart Newson (@newsonstuart) is highly respected within the ecological sector, & has spent most of his career studying subjects relating to birds, bats, insects & small land-based terrestrial mammals. During this interview we chat about his early years, career progression, bird-related interests & studies (inc his PhD), the Norfolk Bat Survey, the work done on bats in southern Scotland, bush crickets, small mammals & the BTO Acoustic Pipeline.  Find out more about BTO Acoustic Pipeline here: https://www.bto.org/our-science/projects/bto-acoustic-pipeline

Martin Bailey is the owner of Wildlife & Countryside Services, based near Rhyl (North Wales). He is an experienced ecologist & biodiversity consultant, specialising in mammals, wildlife habitat creation/restoration & environmental education. He describes himself as 'living in a wood, trying to be sustainable, ethical & helping people'. During this chat we look at his life journey to date, as well as his regular journeys to Poland, where he takes clients to see what biodiversity in the UK should look like. Wildlife & Countryside Services website Visit Poland with Martin Bailey Wild Justice website

Rachael Cooper-Bohannon was brought up in South Africa, & eventually ended up in Scotland where she founded the Bats Without Borders charity in 2013. Here we are delighted to be talking to Rachael about her life journey, including her academic work, her role within the 'Species On The Edge' project, & of course the Bats Without Borders story, an organisation which is contributing heavily to capacity building & bat conservation within Africa. Find out more about Bats Without Borders here

In September 2020 we had the pleasure of talking with Lars Pettersson, highly respected throughout the world for the bat detecting solutions he has been providing since forming Pettersson Elektronik in 1983. As well as discussing products, it was great spending time exploring his background & interests outside of work. Visit Pettersson Elektronik here: www.batsound.com 

Tracey Jolliffe is highly respected in the world of bats. During this interview we talk in depth about her journey into bats, bat rehabilitation, Rabies & Coronavirus (Covid 19).

Here we have the huge pleasure of 'Talking...' with Mister Mustelid (aka Dr Johnny Birks) about his lifelong passion & career journey involving many roles within the ecology sector. All of this leading to lots of experiences, achievements & challenges along the way.  Learn about Johnny's work on ResearchGate Visit NHBS Ltd to see books by Johnny Birks Visit Extinction Rebellion here

Laurie Campbell is an award winning natural history & landscape photographer. During this interview we cover his background, as well as many fascinating stories about his adventures & experiences.

Laurie Campbell Natural History Photographer

Otters - Ripples On The River book

Trees For Life 

In Nov 2023 Neil was delighted to be invited to do an interview for the Ecology Academy podcast series, where Richard Dodd interviewed him for that series with much of the session being focussed on Neil's career journey & training experiences. It was agreed that the interview could also be uploaded onto our Talking Bat podcast platform. So, here it is...

The Ecology Academy podcast series is an excellent resource & if you haven't been  there already we urge you to take a listen here to some of the amazing people that Richard has engaged with so far.

Marc Van De Sijpe is an internationally respected bat researcher based in Belgium, especially known for his work on the European 'trawling' bat species - Daubenton's bat, Pond bat & Long-fingered bat. Here we chat to him about his back-story, early years doing bat work in Belgium, as well as looking in more detail at his research & contributions to our knowledge & understanding of European bat species.

Learn more about Marc's research here on ResearchGate

Check out Marc's YouTube channel here

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Dr Paul Donald is a senior conservation scientist (Birdlife International) with >30 yrs experience conceiving, planning, funding & managing high-impact projects on a wide range of issues, & has published research in many of the world’s leading scientific journals. During this interview we take a look at some of Paul's previous work, his passion for larks, & then move on to discussing his latest book 'Traffication - How Cars Destroy Nature & What We Can Do About It'.

Traffication - How Cars Destroy Nature & What We Can Do About It

Birdlife International - Donate Here

Ornithological Society Of The Middle East The Caucasus and Central Asia - Join Here

Facing Extinction - The World's Rarest Birds and the Race to Save Them

In Nov 2023 'The Sound Identification of the Terrestrial Mammals of Britain & Ireland' was published. Here is the interview that our publishers requested to tie in with the book launch. Neil Middleton & Stuart Newson were interviewed by Nigel Massen (Pelagic Publishing).

Other resources referred to in the interview are as follows: Is That A Bat? BTO Acoustic Pipeline

\o/ Happy New Year 2025 \o/ Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Michael Sheldrick is the Co-Founder & Chief Policy, Impact, & Government Affairs Officer at Global Citizen. Their  initiatives have reached millions of people & secured $billions in support to provide access to essential resources worldwide. During this interview we explore Michael's back story, as well as the work of Global Citizen, leading us on to discuss, in some detail, his new book 'From Ideas To Impact - A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World' Michael Sheldrick website Donate to production costs of 'From Ideas To Impact' here

Brock Fenton (Emeritus Professor - University of Western Ontario, Canada) has been studying bats in some shape or form since the early 1960s. He is hugely respected internationally for his academic work, his contributions to bat conservation, as well as which he has authored/co-authored numerous books. During this interview we explore his background, as well as getting into some detail regarding bat evolution. The interview was timed to coincide with the release of the book 'A Miscellany of Bats' which he co-authored with his good friend Jens Rydell.

Ear Anatomy Traces a Family Tree for Bats - M. Brock Fenton Nature 602, 387-388 (2022) 

Bat Conservation International website here

Peter Taylor's research focuses on bats & other small mammals in natural & agricultural landscapes in southern Africa. He has contributed significantly to science & conservation, & during this interview we explore his life journey, along with many of his thoughts about the research he has been involved with & the books he has authored/co-authored.

Bats of Southern & Central Africa - find out more here 

The Bat Interest Group of KwaZulu-Natal (formerly the Durban Bat Interest Group) - find out more here

David King is well known & respected for developing/providing bat detectors over a long period of time, commencing at a point when technology was at the early stages of helping to enable our understanding of bat behaviour beyond what had been  available previously. Initially through Stage Electronics, & then BatBox Ltd, David developed 8 bat detectors, a software program (BatScan) & co-authored a book (The Bat Detective). However, there is a lot of things you may not know about him, & here we also take a good look at his wider background. 

Dr Hannah Mueller recently set up her own environmental/ecological consultancy in New Zealand (Phoenix Ecology Ltd). She is an ecologist with expertise in a wide range of ecological matters, with a key focus on finding management solutions to environmental challenges that work with nature’s principles & restore ecosystems using a landscape-scale approach. During this interview we talk about her experiences setting up & running the business, as well as going into a little bit of detail regarding bat consultancy work in New Zealand.

Find out more about Hannah's research here

Visit the Bat Research Organisation here

Steve Roe (Vice Chair of BCT & Pete Guest Award winner 2023) is the producer & presenter of BCT's award winning BatChat podcast. He gets many opportunities to interview people about bat work in the UK. This time we get the opportunity to turn the mic & interview him \o/. Find out lots about his back story (he started his 'bat life' early!) & achievements to date, as well as some thoughts on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ professionals within the ecology sector.

Bat Conservation Trust (BCT)

CIEEM Article - Supporting LGBTQ+ Professionals

Our very first Talking Bat interview took place in June 2020 with Dean Thompson (CEO of Titley Scientific). During the interview we cover the history of Titley Scientific, along with Dean's background. We also talk in some depth about the bat detectors and software that Titley provide around the world ^o^. To find out more about Titley Scientific go to https://www.titley-scientific.com/uk/

\o/ Christmas Special \o/  Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Laura Torrent is a PhD student studying bat taxonomy, ecology & conservation in Equatorial Guinea (west coast of central Africa), working in collaboration with Natural Science Museum of Granollers; University of Porto; CIBIO-InBIO; Doñana Biological Station & Biodiversity Initiative. This interview explores her bat-related work to date, including details about her research & the challenges posed when studying bats in a part of the world where so little is known about the subject.

Learn more about Laura's research here

Follow Laura on Twitter: @arualentina

Dean Waters is highly respected within the world of bats & academia for his research, separate to which he describes himself as an Ecology, Acoustics & Imaging Consultant, as well as a mediocre photographer.

During this interview we explore his back story, as well as discussing some of his research interests, which include bat biology, conservation, bioacoustics & biomimetics (using biology as inspiration for engineering).

Find out more about Dean's research here

Find out more about the UltraCane here

Dr Mirjam Knornschild is the Head of Behavioural Ecology & Bioacoustics Lab for the Museum of Natural History in Berlin. She is internationally recognised & highly respected for, amongst other things, her research into bat acoustics, in particular species occurring in Costa Rica, Panama & southern Africa. During this interview we explore her back-story, as well as talk about some of her academic work. We also dip into other aspects of bat-related studies & challenges when it comes to studying these fascinating mammals in the field.

Find out more via Mirjam's research website here

Visit Deutsche Fledermauswarte (German Bat Observatory) website here

Here we talk with the delightful, highly respected & knowledgeable botanist, Joshua Styles of Styles Ecology Ltd & British Botany, covering some of his back-story, his career progression to date, as well as the expertise & services he has to offer the ecological sector. North-West Rare Plant Initiative The Wildlife Trust for Manchester, Lancashire & North Merseyside

Merlin Tuttle has been involved with bat-related work for >60 years, & is arguably one of the most significant contributors to bat conservation worldwide, & the founder of Bat Conservation International, an organisation he retired from some years ago. He now continues to inspire bat conservation worldwide through Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation  During this interview we chat about his early days right through to present time, & we are also joined by Teresa Nichta (Outreach & Archive Manage at MTBC).

Read the books: - The Secret Life of Bats - Bats An Illustrated Guide To All Species

During the Bat Conservation Trust's National Bat Conference (Reading, Sept 2024) we had the pleasure of catching up with many old friends, & meeting some new ones. Here we have created a podcast which includes some of the many people we engaged with. Massive thanks to all, including the following podcast participants - in order of appearance, as follows: Andrew Dobson/Lauren Dobson (Titley Scientific) David Koller (Elekon AG - Switzerland) Nigel Massen (Pelagic Publishing) Naomi Webster/Andreia Correia da Costa (Bat Conservation Trust) Ryan Smith/Katie Smith (Smith Robotics) Martin Bailey (Wildlife & Countryside Services / Poland Trips) Mark Fisher/Laura Gage (NHBS Ltd) Jethro Block/Andrew Milner (Thermal Vision Ecology) Paul Howden-Leach (Wildlife Acoustics)

^o^ Something just for our podcast audience.

Sometimes light-hearted, occasionally a little more serious! Here are some random thoughts from your Talking Bat host, Neil Middleton :-) Email address for feedback: neil.middleton@batability.co.uk

Kayleigh Fawcett Williams is well known in bat circles for being the 'go to' person for bats and thermal imaging (she wrote the Bat Conservation Trusts Thermal Imaging Guidelines for goodness sake!). Here we talk about this, but also dig deeper into her background and other work-related experiences.

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Delighted to have Danilo Russo here on Talking Bat. Danilo is a Professor of Ecology based at University of Naples Federico II, as well as an Honorary Professor of Ecology at University of Bristol. He describes himself as an ecologist, ethologist & conservation biologist, & he is also a former Chair of EUROBATS advisory committee.

Danilo Russo ResearchGate

Animal Ecology & Evolution Facebook page

Charitable donation went to Wildlife Alliance

Katheryn Leggat has had an amazing life story to date, which we really enjoyed chatting about during this session. It was also an opportunity for us to find out all about Kasanka National Park in Zambia, home for so much wildlife including the 10 million straw-coloured fruit bats that migrate into the area every year - the largest migration event for any mammal species anywhere on the planet.

Kasanka Trust Ltd - Donate Here

In 2019 Nils Bouillard was the first person to complete a Big Bat Year. During this interview (in 2020) we talk about his background & the lead up to the big year, as well as some of the experiences encountered whilst he travelled the globe in search of bats & documenting challenges in their conservation. We also chat about his initial thoughts on  doing a book all about it, which is now available: Big Bat Year - A Conservation Story  To find out more about what Nils is currently up to visit his website

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Alexandra Howard is a PhD candidate carrying out research on bats in southern Africa. Here we explore her life journey so far, as well as her research interests, along with dipping into other aspects of life & the challenges of being a bat researcher in Africa.   Follow Alexandra on X (twitter): @blondezoologist

October 2024 catch up :-)

^o^ Something just for our podcast audience.

Sometimes light-hearted, occasionally a little more serious! Here are some random thoughts from your Talking Bat host, Neil Middleton :-) Email address for feedback: neil.middleton@batability.co.uk

We could have equally called this one Talking Primate (as well as bats of course) due to David Hill's early research studying macaques, latterly in Japan. We were delighted to chat at length about working & living in that part of the world.

And then (well it wouldn't be possible not to talk about it!) we get into his work with Bechstein's bat, as well as the ground-breaking development of the Sussex AutoBat ultrasonic lure (all work David did in conjunction with Frank Greenaway). As well as all of that, there is so much more... Hope you enjoy the listen :-) Find out more about the Vincent Wildlife Trust Sussex Bat Appeal here

Hugely respected & recognised for his contributions to bat conservation, Roger Ransome began studying bats in 1956, completing his PhD in 1979. He is a Linnean Society Award winner for Contributions By An Amateur Towards Scientific Progress, as well as having received the Pete Guest Award (2010) from BCT. Much of what we know about Greater horseshoe bats comes from the work he, & many others working alongside him, have been carrying out at Woodchester Mansion. Add to all this the numerous scientific papers produced, as well as being an author of books, & let's not forget his Guinness World Record for the longest mammal study carried out by an individual. 

Find out about Roger's research here

The Natural History of Hibernating Bats by Roger Ransome

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Here we have the pleasure of Talking Bat with Sue Swift, the first person in the UK to carry out a Phd on bats. We talk about: some of her early research working with Prof Paul Racey (Aberdeen University); the work she did on timber treatment chemicals; foraging behaviour of Natterer's & Bechstein's bats; authoring the species monologue 'Long-eared Bats'; Rabies research; heated bat box research, and bat dropping analysis. And of course we also speak about her receiving the Bat Conservation Trust's 'Pete Guest Award' in 2009. 

Hooked onto natural history from early childhood, Sandie Sowler commenced with her first serious venture into bats in 1969 whilst still at university. Since then she has achieved a huge amount & contributed significantly to the world of bats. Highly respected internationally, during this interview we talk about her early research, her time within the consultancy sector, as well as her experiences contributing to the delivery of training courses and survey guidelines (in particular within the UK & South Africa). And if that's not enough - we also explore many of the non-bat-related  activities she gets involved with. Bats Without Borders - find out more here

Here we have Peter Flory founder of PeerSonic, a company that makes bat detectors, microphone testing equipment & ultrasonic speakers that can be used as lures or within a training environment. A really enjoyable & useful dive into Peter's background, experiences & products.  To find out more about Peersonic go to https://peersonic.co.uk/

In 1985 Bernard Mercer founded NHBS Ltd, & during this interview we get a fascinating insight into the background of the business, & how it has developed over the years to become one of the largest, if not the largest, organisations of its type on the planet. But there is so much more to the story than may immediately meet the eye, & during this session it was so interesting to explore the history of the business that all of us are familiar with today.

British Wildlife magazine

Conservation Land Management magazine

Flora & Fauna International

During this interview we talk with Mark Avery whose previous roles include 13 years as Conservation Director at RSPB, as well as a former chair of World Land Trust. Described these days as a blogger, writer, author & wildlife campaigner, Mark has been involved with many important discussions at the highest level relating to the conservation challenges faced in our part of the world, including books on the subject, as well as the activities of Wild Justice, an organisation he co-founded. Inglorious: Conflict in the Uplands

Mark Avery books published by Pelagic Publishing

Reflections - What Wildlife Needs and How to Provide it

Anne Youngman was the Bat Conservation Trust's (BCT) first Scottish Bat Officer from 2003 to 2017, & is very well known & respected within the bat community, not only in the UK, but also much further afield. This is her 4th time on Talking Bat, & on this occasion we look back on her most recent challenge (a 100km ultra-marathon). A quick reminder as to why she was doing it. It's all for charity \o/ in order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support & HospiceCare North Northumberland, two amazing organisations which helped her & her family at a time when they didn't know where to turn.

Take a listen & find out how she got on, as well as what's next for the 'Creaky Old Bat'. Just Giving Page Anne’s 100k ultra marathon for Macmillan Cancer Support & HospiceCare North Northumberland

Originally from the UK, & now living in New Zealand, Ian Davidson-Watts is highly respected internationally as a bat researcher & consultant. His career to date has had many twists & turns, across a number of roles & countries, as you will hear about during this fascinating insight into his life. 

Find out more about Davidson-Watts Ecology here

Find out more about GoFundMe 'Save the Isle Of Wight Bat Hospital' here

Nigel Massen is the man behind Pelagic Publishing, an organisation that has enabled the production of so many important books (>100) that have helped to inform & shape the ecology sector. During this interview we look in detail at Nigel's background, including university life, his time at NHBS Ltd, as well as his current roles with Pelagic Publishing, University of Exeter Press & the World Land Trust. Pelagic Publishing website here World Land Trust website here

Gareth Jones is amongst the most highly respected academics in the world of bat research & we were delighted when he agreed to be interviewed by ourselves. During the session we talk about his earlier years, a number of his key academic achievements, as well as hobbies & other interests. Of particular note his recollection of the story behind the discovery of a new species (Soprano pipistrelle) is fascinating, as are his thoughts on more recent research into mammal ageing through the use of genetic information. Visit The Gareth Jones Lab here Visit Gareth's bird photography website here

Chris Corben is an Australian living in the USA, & internationally respected for his contributions towards our understanding & interpretation of bat-related sound. During this interview we talk about his life experiences, his involvement with the creation of AnaBat detectors (with Titley Scientific), as well as his software solution, AnaLookW. We also touch upon his thoughts about AutoID (automated classifiers), Zero Crossing analysis, bat 'social-echolocation' sounds, & debate why logarithmic scales are preferrable to linear (humans are logarithmic creatures afterall!). Visit Chris Corben's website here: www.hoarybat.com

^o^ Something just for our podcast audience.

Sometimes light-hearted, occasionally a little more serious! Here are some random thoughts from your Talking Bat host, Neil Middleton :-) Sound Identification of Terrestrial Mammals of Britain & Ireland - find out more here

Dr Jonny Hanson @jonnyhhanson is a Research Fellow at Queen's University (Belfast), an award-winning social entrepreneur, & the author of the recently published 'Living With Lynx - Sharing Landscapes with Big Cats, Wolves & Bears'. During our conversation we look at various perspectives around the subject matter of the book, as well as other associated topics.

'Living With Lynx' book here

Dr Jonny Hanson website here

Snow Leopard Conservancy

Snow Leopard Trail documentary teaser here

Ed Drewitt is a professional naturalist, wildlife detective, trainer, broadcaster & author. Dedicated to sharing the wonders of the natural world & committed to inspiring the next generation of nature enthusiasts, empowering individuals to connect with the environment.

Ed has written three books, all of which we discuss during the interview, including his latest one, Bird Pellets - A Complete Photographic Guide. We also take a deep dive into his passion for Peregrine falcons, a subject he has been studying for over 20 years.

Ed Drewitt website

Glouscestershire Wildlife Trust

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Email address for Aileen Hendry - aileen.hendry@batability.co.uk 

Kit Stoner is the Chief Executive of the Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) based in the UK, as well as Vice Chair of Environmental Investigations Agency, & a trustee of BatLife Europe. During this interview we touch upon all aspects of her working life journey, which started of in publishing, advertising & training, before moving into bat conservation, a decision which would eventually take her to becoming Chief Executive of BCT. Of course, like many of our interviews, we also explore aspects of Kit's non-working life. 

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Here we have the pleasure of interviewing Henry Andrews, the driving force behind the habitat keys & books entitled 'Bat Roosts In Trees' & 'Bat Roosts In Rock'. As well as covering the backdrop to the books in some detail, we also explore Henry's career path within the ecology sector.

Delighted to be Talking Bat with Kelly Sheldrick (Citizen Science Program Manager - Conservation Council of Western Australia) ahead of her fundraising Christmas Island Marathon in honour of the 100 species that have gone extinct in Australia, including the Christmas Island Pipistrelle. All in all, this will help to raise awareness of biodiversity loss & the failure of policy to respond to a rapidly changing environment.

A Bat's End: The Christmas Island Pipistrelle and Extinction in Australia by John Woinarski

Remembering the Christmas Island Pipistrelle Wildlife Fundraiser - donate here

We are very pleased to have with us, once again, Volker Runkel. This time we focus on his book, 'The Handbook of Acoustic Bat Detection'. Along with this we explore the development of successful bat acoustic projects, as well as working with automated classifiers.

Find 'The Handbook of Acoustic Bat Detection' book here

Find 'Handbuch: Praxis der Akustischen Fledermauserfassung' here

Visit EcoObs website here

In June 2021 Anne Youngman spoke to Neil about her upcoming marathon in aid of The Bat Conservation Trust. Anne had previously been the first Scottish Bat Officer for BCT (2002 - 2017) & is extremely well known & highly respected within the bat world. During the interview we mention the 'Just Giving' facility for her marathon, which unfortunately is no longer available. You can however still donate to BCT if you so wish, via the following link: https://www.bats.org.uk/donate/pledge

We also mention the BaTML project a few times during out chat: find out more about this here

Anne Youngman was the Bat Conservation Trust's (BCT) first Scottish Bat Officer from 2003 to 2017, & is very well known & respected within the bat community, not only in the UK, but also much further afield. This is her third time on Talking Bat, & on this occasion we focus on her next challenge, this time to run a 100 km ultra-marathon on 20.07.24, a challenge that could take almost 19 hours to complete. Why? It's all for charity \o/ in order to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support & HospiceCare North Northumberland, two amazing organisations which helped her & her family at a time when they didn't know where to turn. Run Anne Run - Give Folks Give! Just Giving Page Anne’s 100k ultra marathon for Macmillan Cancer Support & HospiceCare North Northumberland

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

John Haddow (Auritus Bat Consultancy) is a highly respected bat-worker (& so much more) based in Scotland, & a previous winner of the BCTs Pete Guest Award. His interest in bats started before bats were collectively protected within the UK, & before BCT even existed. During this interview he gives an excellent historical insight into bat conservation since the 1970s. We also talk at length about the Scottish Leisler's Bat Project & his regular trips to Poland visiting Nietoperek, one of the largest hibernation sites in Europe.

Scottish Bats Journals Archive

Bat Conservation Trust (BCT)

Paul Racey is internationally recognised & one of the most highly respected people in the world of bats, having so many achievements associated with his academic work, as well as his contributions to conservation internationally. During this interview we take a look back at his working life including the following: Gerrit S. Miller Award; Mammal Society Silver Medal; BBC Wildlife “Conservation Heroes”; BCT Lifetime Achievement Award: Honorary Membership: American Society of Mammalogists; Honorary Life Membership: Bat Conservation Trust

We also talk about having a bat species named after himself, as well as various personal memories of people he has worked with on various projects both at home & overseas.

Jon Hall is a mammal watcher extraordinaire, having travelled the world to see many mammals in their natural environments. During this interview we explore his background, his passion for mammal watching, the launch of the mammal watching website & their own podcast, & also a few tails along the way (nope - that's not a typo!).  mammalwatching.com (inc Podcast) find out more here Offsetting your greenhouse gas emissions with Stand For Trees (Gola) - find out more here

Excellent interview with Dr Volker Runkel talking about his early research, setting up the business ecoObs (including products & services available), as well as us getting into some depth about the challenges of species ID when working with bat acoustic data. Visit ecoObs website here The book - Handbook of Acoustic Bat Detection - find out more here

A Cork-born ornithologist, Sean Ronayne returned home to Ireland after living in Barcelona for 3 years. He is a highly respected wildlife sound recorderist (Sound Of The Year awards winner 2020), & is almost at the end of a journey to record all of the birds present in Ireland, a journey that has taken him to the highest level of appreciation for all of his hard work & resilience. Want to know more? Listen to the interview :-)

Irish Wildlife Sounds

The Tommy Tiernan Show with guest Sean Ronayne

Follow Sean Ronayne on Twitter: @SoundsIrish  

Know Better, Do Better! Kate Myers is the founder of Speaking Of Animals Outreach. Describing herself as a visual storyteller, film producer & author, Kate has worked for animal welfare her entire adult life having previously held numerous positions including being Executive Director of Washington State Humane Association.  Speaking of Animals Outreach website Speaking of Animals Outreach Facebook Speaking of Animals Outreach Instagram Email Contact: kate@speakingofanimalsoutreach.org

She's back for a second time on Talking Bat. This time we speak to the award winning Anne Youngman (former BCT Scottish Officer) about her first ultra-marathon experience (before & after), all in support of Bats Without Borders. Did she make? You will have to listen to find out :-). We certainly had lots of fun chatting, & Anne is such an inspirationally infectious character, which shines through with everything she does.

Bats Without Borders

Bats Without Borders - Donate here

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Delighted to be chatting with Dr Orly Razgour (University of Exeter), who is an Associate Professor in Global Change Ecology, as well as Director of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion. Describing herself as a molecular ecologist & conservation biologist, Orly's research is applied in nature, aiming to provide the evidence base for managing our environment.

Dr Orly Razgour on ResearchGate

Bat Conservation Trust

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Many have listened to him on Birder's Twitter, so we felt we should get him on here for an interview & find out more about Jonny Rankin who is well known & highly respected within birding circles. And we certainly ticked all the boxes as we explored Jonny's backstory, his extreme fundraising activities (Dove Step & Tern The Tide), as well as more background about Birder's Twitter, & the Birder's Space website & podcast.

Follow Jonny on Twitter: @step_dove

The Suffolk Community Barn Owl Project

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

Jon Russ is hugely respected & well known to us all as the author of books relating to bat acoustics & identification, he also has his own consultancy business, Ridgeway Ecology. During this in depth interview into his back-story & life experiences we explore in some detail his academic research, some projects he has been heavily involved with (e.g. the Nathusius' pipistrelle in GB & Northern Ireland), as well, of course, the popular books themselves, including the recently published Bat Calls of Britain & Europe

When we recorded this interview Henry Schofield had recently retired as Head of Conservation at Vincent Wildlife Trust, where he had worked for over 30 years. During his time with the trust he was involved with many bat-related projects (as well as other species groups), including extensively with horseshoe species. Here we explore his life journey to date, as well as talking about some of his research & books.

Vincent Wildlife Trust

Bats of Britain & Ireland (7th Edition)  

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

If you deal with Titley Scientific in Europe then the chances are you have had the pleasure of meeting (or at least communicating with) their UK/Europe Sales Support Manager, Andrew Dobson. We felt it would be great to let you find out so much more about the person behind the products & services they distribute in Europe, & this interview certainly gets well into Andrew's background prior to & after the relaunch of Titley Scientific in 2013.

Follow Titley Scientific on Twitter

During this interview Maggie Andrews shares some of her earlier memories relating to studying bats (in particular horseshoe species), along with a deeper look into some of the research she has been involved with in conjunction with her late husband Peter Andrews & others (e.g. Tom McOwat & Amelia Hodnett).   Read about Maggie's work here on ResearchGate Visit Woodchester Mansion - find out more here Stackpole National Nature Reserve - find out more

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/

It's great to have Nils Bouillard back for a second interview here on our channel, this time we focus on the background to his recently published book: Big Bat Year - A Conservation Story (published 2023). Follow Nils on Twitter: @NilsBouillard

Fiona Mathews is highly respected internationally for her academic work on mammals (including bats) & other subjects. She is the founding chair of Mammal Conservation Europe, a former chair of the Mammal Society, a trustee of the Kasanka Trust (UK), the co-founder & director of Ecotype Genetics Ltd, & also serves on the Eurobats Scientific Advisory Committee. Add to all that, her recent book Black Ops and Beaver Bombing: Adventures with Britain's Wild Mammals (April 2023) - my word, we certainly had lots to chat about.

Fiona Mathews ResearchGate

David Darrell-Lambert is the owner of Bird Brain UK Ltd & is highly respected & well known within the UK bird community & further afield. During this interview we talk about his early days birding, as well as his business activities, photography, art & sound recording. We also speak about his experience writing the Birdwatching London book, and of course. with myself & David on mic there are quite a few stories... 

In this episode (recorded in Aug 2021) we chat with Richard Crompton (owner of Ecology On Demand) about his backstory, his time at BCT, career progression, challenges & successes (of which there are many), as well as some of his thoughts  about training & guidelines. 

Al Milano is internationally recognised as a reviewer of bat detecting equipment, with his own website containing countless reviews. He is also a regular contributor to BatAbility Club. This interview, carried out before his association with Club, was the first time that he & Neil had ever spoken directly to each other. It's a very interesting insight into Al's background & thoughts, with quite a few non-bat-related surprises pleasantly creeping in :-) 

Al Milano on Twitter: @batdetectors

Bat Detector Review Website 

Daniel Hargreaves is well know & highly respected within the world of bats, & during this session we talk about his exciting life journey from becoming interested in bats as a child through to being involved in projects & adventures around the world. At the time of recording our conversation Daniel had recently taken on the role of Bat Programme Manager at Vincent Wildlife Trust, & the work of the trust is also covered.

VWT Sussex Horseshoe Bat Appeal here Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation here

During this episode the table was turned on Neil Middleton (who is usually on the other side of the mic!). Julia Lock (Wildcare Ecology Supplies) asked to do an interview for Wildcare's website/blog & at the same time it would appear on Talking Bat. Neil is the owner of BatAbility Courses & Tuition, & was asked lots about his background & non-bat-related subjects, including The Effective Ecologist book which he authored. Visit Wildcare Ecology Supplies website here Find out more about 'The Effective Ecologist' book here

Sherwood Snyder & Paul Howden-Leach both work for Wildlife Acoustics, & during this interview we have a deep dive into their lives, as well as how product development is undertaken within WAC. Also, a good few doses of 'fun' along the way.

Find out more about Wildlife Acoustics here 

Miranda Collett spends her time between Jersey & Argentina. She certainly has an interesting life story, & during this interview we learn all about her professional career, which lead up to the purchase of some land in Corrientes (Argentina) & the creation of a 4,000 acre conservation area dedicated to preserving endangered species & defending the habitats that are essential for their survival.

Visit The Collett Trust for Endangered Species here

Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to.

If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/