What a great week this has been out in Tucson, Arizona!  We got to participate in the first bat echolocation symposium that has taken place for 15 years, as experts from around the world discussed their life-long research on bat neurophysiology, bat behavioral ecology, and bat conservation science.

 

Below left:  A call sequence from a Myotis yumanensis (Yuma myotis) recorded during the Symposium.
Below right: An analysed call taken from that sequence.
  
Below: Passive monitoring during the Symposium.  The Sonoran Desert had sprung to life that week.  The ocotillo was blooming everywhere.

Below:  Active monitoring under the palms at a Tucson park.  Western yellows and velifers were common.

Below:  The group gathers at dusk, cementing new friendships over a last night of batting.
Chris Corben creator of Anabat, and Joe Szewczak creator of SonoBat, shared their expertise.

Below: How wonderful to see these bat experts, know to us previously only by their research, out in the field celebrating the joy of batting.  There some bat big shots in this walkabout and they all retain the sense of wonder that drew them to the field.

Joe Szewczak (left) shares with Martyn, Toby, Alice, Katherine, and Brian.

Thanks so much everyone for freely sharing your knowledge and vision all for the greater good of bat conservation.
We dearly hope it will lead to a lifetime of collaboration and friendships.