Just got back from running a two day course on sound analysis in the New Forest. It was a good opportunity to review the literature on automated logging of bat passes and automatic recognition of bat calls. There are some very interesting statistical techniques being used, but I have to say, not with a great deal of success, mostly with separating some Myotis species and especially with the separation of serotine from Leisler's. There is also considerable confusion between Plecotus and Barbastellus. Close but no cigar.

Ran the BCT 'Bat Ecology and Conservation' introductory course yesterday at Juniper Hall near Dorking.Went very well, I may alter a little bit of it to include some more of the recent findings around bat phylogeny and the fossil record. We had a fantastic display of live bats courtesy of Jenny Clarke from the Sussex bat hospital, with serotines, Leisler's, Natterer's and all three UK pipistrelles in the same hand (see below) left to right: Soprano, Common and Nathusius'.