Coming to the Bat Blitz? 

Please Access the Participant Guide here:

2022 Bat Blitz Participant Guide_Version_20220728

The Southeastern Bat Diversity Network is proud to present this year’s Bat Blitz, to be held August 1-5, 2022. at the Bankhead National Forest in northern Alabama. This year we return to the beautiful Bankhead National Forest in Alabama, site of the 2008 SBDN Bat Blitz. This is a very special occasion. We look forward to reuniting with familiar faces as we reboot Bat Blitz in the post-COVID era. The Alabama Bat Working Group will celebrate 20 years of Bat Blitzes, and by replicating the 2008 Blitz, we will collect post-WNS data to compare with the pre-WNS data.

We anticipate approximately 100 bat biologists, wildlife professionals, and volunteers to attend.

Blitz Headquarters/Housing/Meals

Camp McDowell

105 Delong Rd, Nauvoo, AL 35578

34.014718, -87.362365

https://campmcdowell.org/

Camp McDowell is a ministry of the Episcopal Churches in the Diocese of Alabama and is open to all. It is one of the largest Episcopal Camp and Conference Centers in the US. It began in 1923 and was relocated to the Southern portion of the Bankhead National Forest in Winston County, Alabama in 1947. Like the Bankhead, it consists of breathtaking canyons, waterfalls and forests, and is known as the Beautiful Queen of Clear Creek. Camp McDowell has a wonderful culture of welcoming acceptance and has established a reputation for being an outstanding destination built upon simple elegance and attention to service and enjoyment. McDowell offers Summer Camp, Special Sessions, the McDowell Conference Center, the Alabama Folk School, the McDowell Environmental Center and the McDowell Farm School. We expect a lovely time at Wonderful Wonderful Camp McDowell.
Sleeping arrangements –Unless you pay for a single room, limited to a handful and on a first come-first served basis, all rooms are double occupancy and you should expect to be sharing a room. If you have a roommate preference, indicate so on the registration form, and we will do our best to accommodate. Two different housing areas will be used during the blitz, Miller Commons and Stough Lodge. The facilities of the Camp are great. Motel style rooms are air conditioned and each room has two beds. We will make every accommodation possible to give you your room preference. Linens are provided.
Human and Wildlife Safety

We are taking steps to ensure this is a safe and inclusive event. The safety of Blitz participants AND wildlife is of paramount importance. Based on our survey of SBDN members, we’ve taken numerous steps to ensure we meet under and follow the most responsible principals when working with wildlife and engaging in group activities.  We anticipate that all SBDN participants will be up-to-date with vaccinations.  However, as with any large activity, Blitz participants should be aware that members of the public, support staff and others encountered during the blitz may not be up-to-date with vaccinations and, in many cases, employers may not be able to ask about vaccination status.

  • SARS Cov-2/Covid-19 Vaccinations:  Our Blitz is a vaccination-only event for SBDN participants.  We are following the most recent Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance that recommends that all Blitz participants are up-to-date on Covid-19 vaccinations.  In general, up-to-date is defined as receiving two doses of the primary vaccination series AND one booster when eligible.  For more information on your vaccination status, please visit the CDC’s website here: Stay Up to Date with Your Covid-19 Vaccine
  • Rapid Covid-19 Antigen Testing Prior to Arrival:  We ask that all participants take a rapid Covid-9 test within 24-hours of arriving at Blitz headquarters and provide photographic proof of a negative test.  You can receive free rapid tests through the U.S. Government/US Postal Service.  Visit this link to get tests mailed to your door: Get your Free Rapid Covid Tests
  • Feeling Ill at the Blitz:  We will have a limited number of rapid tests available at Blitz headquarters.  If you test positive, we have budgeted and reserved a small number of single-occupancy isolation/quarantine rooms within Stough Lodge.  We will also strive to perform thorough contact tracing regarding potential exposures.
  • N-95 Valve-free Masking:  All participants within six feet of bats are required to wear an N-95 mask. Masks will be provided for field work. We strongly encourage all participants to also wear masks when traveling with others to field locations.
  • Rabies Vaccinations and Titer Status: All handlers of wildlife must be fully vaccinated with the rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis series and have a current (within 2 years) rabies antibody titer check prior to arriving at Blitz headquarters.  A serology report must determine that wildlife handlers meet World Health Organization rabies virus neutralizing antibodies standard of ≥ 0.5 International Units per milliliter (0.5 IU/ML) or complete neutralization at a serum dilution in the 1:5 serum dilution Rapid Fluorescent Foci Inhibition Test (RFFIT). We ask that all wildlife handlers present proof of their rabies vaccination or titer-check status.
  • White-nose Syndrome:  The Bankhead National Forest is within a WNS-endemic zone.

Coarse Blitz Schedule (all times in central daylight time)

A more comprehensive 2022 Bat Blitz Participant Guide, with a full-schedule is coming soon!

  • Monday, August 1, 2022 (if staying on Monday evening please arrive by 6:00 P.M.)
    • Check-in/Registration: 3:00-6:00 P.M.
    • Public Education Event: 3:00-6:00 P.M.
    • Group Social Event: 6:30-9:30 P.M.
  • Tuesday, August 2, 2022
    • Mandatory Team Leader Meeting: 12:00-1:00 P.M.
    • Mandatory All-Participant Meeting: 1:00-2:00 P.M.
    • Breakfast, Lunch and field box dinner provided
    • Mist netting on the Bankhead National Forest and return to headquarters by 2:00 A.M.
  • Wednesday, August 3, 2022
    • Breakfast, Lunch and field box dinner provided
    • Mist netting on the Bankhead National Forest and return to headquarters by 2:00 A.M.
  • Thursday, August 4, 2022
    • Breakfast, Lunch and field box dinner provided
    • Mist netting on the Bankhead National Forest and return to headquarters by 2:00 A.M.
    • Decontamination of Gear for Night-Owls
  • Friday, August 5, 2022
    • Decontamination of Gear for Early-Risers
    • Farewell Breakfast, Awards
    • Check-out and departure: 12:00 P.M.

Team Leaders Needed

Please contact our local host committee by email or phone if you would like to be considered as a team leader.  Team leaders should have adequate qualifications to: (1) safely handle and identify local and protected bat species; (2), manage a field crew with varying experience levels; and (3) have all equipment and materials for operating a mist net site comprising 2-3 net set-ups.

Registration Fees

  • Regular Registration (Double-occupancy room with roommate): $100
  • Student Registration: $50
  • T-shirts: $20

We currently have 31 participants registered! (Updated 06/03/2022)

If you have any questions, please contact the Host Committee: