Sunrise-Sunset Survey - Help us count bats!

This month people all across the UK will be venturing out at dawn and dusk to count bats, as part of the Bat Conservation Trust's Sunrise/Sunset Survey.

The survey take place over the weekend of 19th/20th July, but volunteers can do the survey within three weeks on either side of these dates.

How you can take part

There are two parts to the survey. You can take part in either survey or both, but the more help you can give us, the more chance you have of finding bats!

The Sunrise Survey involves going out just before dawn to look for bats swarming before they return to their roost. If you have already done the Sunset Survey and saw bats flying past, you should walk in the direction from which most of them seemed to be coming.

The Sunset Survey couldn't be easier! Simply spend the evening in your garden and watch out for any bats that fly past. Record how many bats you see, which species they are (if you think you know) and, most importantly, which direction they are flying from.

This survey is aimed at beginners and is an excellent way of contributing to BCT's National Bat Monitoring Programme (NBMP) if you don't have any previous experience of bat surveying.

Find out more about taking part