You could find any of the UK's 17 breeding species of bats in Hampshire, although some have only been encountered very occasionally in recent years.
A vital aspect of the work of the Hampshire Bat Group is the collation and dissemination of bat sightings and records throughout the county. There are few areas of Hampshire where we hold no records of bats at all, but we have a lot to learn about the distribution of the rarer species. To successfully conserve our county's bats we must first establish the size and locations of current bat populations. This data can then be used to monitor how bat populations respond to the threats and pressures they face.
Request bat records
If you wish to make a request for bat distribution data, please contact Nik Knight (Hampshire County Bat Recorder) by email at recordshantsbats(at)gmail.com.
Submit bat records
All bat records within and immediately surrounding Hampshire are gratefully received. If you have bat records, we want to hear from you! See the notes below.
There's no such thing as an insignificant record, and with population monitoring one of the primary charitable objectives of the Hampshire Bat Group, we want to hear from everyone with data to contribute to our database. We also provide bat data to ecological consultants, whose job it is to determine the impacts of new developments to wildlife. Not only is it vital that we can provide consultants with up to date accurate data, but this service provides a vital revenue stream to support our other charitable activities.
How to submit bat records to us
There are three ways in which you could submit your records to us. We will check and verify the records, corresponding with you if necessary to clarify anything. Verified records are then added to our bat distribution database, which is synchronised with that at the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre twice a year. Currently we hold over 44,000 records.
1. Download our own records form - see the bottom of this page. Please note that this Excel workbook has three sheets, two of which explain how to use it. The recording sheet has drop-down lists in most of the cells to assist you with your entries.
We appreciate that, for professional bat surveyors in particular, when dealing with large datasets it can be preferable to submit one, large spreadsheet of your record data. If this applies to you, please use the Excel spreadsheet and submit directly via email to recordshantsbats(at)gmail.com. Please note that any deviation in the formatting can greatly increase the processing time (and headache!) for our hard working Recorder, so if you could please use the spreadsheet provided this would be greatly appreciated!
2. Living Record. You can join this online recording system at https://livingrecord.net. When you join you receive a username and password. Then you can log into the Hampshire Bat Group Team on Living Record and start to give us your information.
3. iRecord. An alternative online recording system. Please use the specialised bat record entry forms, which you can find under the Record/Species group forms menu. Please make sure that you give us the full information as to the location, record type and identification method. The specialised recording forms are not available on the iRecord app, so please use a computer.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
