Bat Ecology and Field Techniques Workshop
Hastings Natural History Reservation
September 17 - 19, 2004
Instructors: Dave Johnston, Ph.D., Santa Clara University and Joe Szewczak, Ph.D., Humboldt State University

Sponsored by: The Wildlife Society - Western Section and Helen Johnson
Description: Workshop participants will be introduced to the ecology of California's bats through lectures and demonstrations on physiology, species accounts, anatomy, foraging behavior & diet. Field techniques of mist-netting, assessing food habits, & acoustic monitoring will be demonstrated with participants assisting in set-up and analysis. An evening field trip to Pinnacles National Monument should allow capture of several Myotis spp. Due to the handling component of the workshop, participants must furnish proof of rabies vaccination to participate in mist-netting. Space is limited to 24 participants and limited scholarship funds are available to successful applicants. Contact Cynthia Perrine at csgperrine@yahoo.com or 530-570-7036 for more information.

Itinerary
Friday

12:00 p.m. Introduction to California Bat Natural History

life history

challenges to life as a bat and the special solutions bats have developed, anatomy

bat physiological ecology relevant to their habitat needs

threats to bat survival; why are they so threatened?

ecological value of bats

foraging behavior and considerations

2:00 p.m. Identifying California bats

overall diversity and distribution

introduction to species identification and handling bats

using keys

tips on differentiating similar species

species accounts (5 minutes each participant*)

*Species Accounts: One species will be assigned to each participant upon registration. Instructors will provide a photograph and range map for each presentation. Each species account presentation should cover the following for his / her species:

1. Physical description and identifying characters
2. Geographic range and habitat associations
3. Status (e.g., California species of special concern)
4. Reproduction and develop.m.ent
5. Ecology --
   a. roosting
   b. foraging
   c. other aspects of natural history
6. Conservation issues (threats to California populations)

5:30 p.m. Intro to acoustic monitoring & Intro to food habit analysis

6:30 p.m. Dinner

7:30 p.m. evening demonstration: Acoustic Monitoring & Food Habits

Saturday

7:00 a.m. coffee

7:30 a.m. breakfast

8:00 a.m. Conservation and Management

Public Issues - Anthropogenic Impacts, Mitigation Myths & Realities

Conservation Strategies

Survey methods

11:30 Lunch & Pack your own dinner

12:00 to 2:30 BREAK (Go take a nap)

2:30 p.m. Group up for field trip & load vans

3:00 p.m. Depart for Pinnacles

5:00 p.m. Arrive at Pinnacles

5:30 p.m. Evening Demonstration & Setting mist nets

10:30 p.m. Pack up Vans

11:00 p.m. On the road back to Hastings - slowly...

Sunday

8:30 a.m. coffee

9:00 a.m. breakfast

10:00 a.m. Group analysis of data collected at Pinnacles: food habits, acoustic monitoring, captures

1:00 lunch

2:00 workshop ends

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