Bat Blitzes

2023 Southeastern Bat Diversity Network Bat Blitz

August 6-10, 2023

SBDN 2023 Bat Blitz

Chattahoochee National Forest and Ft. Mountain State Park

Chatsworth, Georgia

The Southeastern Bat Diversity Network is proud to present this year’s Bat Blitz, to be held August 6-10, 2023. at the Chattahoochee Forest in northwest Georgia. Reach back to the past with this reboot blitz, with re-visits to sites originally netted in 2010.

Coming to the Bat Blitz?

Please use the information below for planning and registration.

A comprehensive Participant Guide and schedule is coming soon…

A Note about Blitz Headquarters and Lodging Accommodations This Year

We will be offering lodging at a nearby, but different, location than blitz HQ this year due to some renovations happening at Fort Mountain State Park – read below for more information!

Blitz Headquarters (Meetings & Meals)

Fort Mountain Retreat and Conference Center

40 Blackhawk Trail

Chatsworth, GA 30705

https://www.globalyouthministry.org/fort-mountain-retreat/

All meals and meetings (welcome, safety meeting, and team leader meetings) will occur at the Fort Mountain Retreat and Conference Center (FMRCC). It is less than ten minutes down the road from Fort Mountain State Park. We will also offer single-occupancy/motel-style rooms at the FMRCC retreat center on a first-come, first-serve basis during registration. Please note these rooms will require a higher registration fee and will be treated as a quiet zone.

Blitz Primary Cabin-style Lodging and Socializing

Fort Mountain State Park

181 Fort Mountain Park Road

Chatsworth, GA 30705

https://gastateparks.org/FortMountain

Less than ten minutes down the road from FMRCC Headquarters is Fort Mountain State Park, where we will offer group housing in state park cabins and the pioneer camping site for those who prefer to camp. All after-netting check-in and socializing will occur at host committee cabins at the state park. Rooms at the cabins will be double-occupancy (two beds per room) and you will be able to indicate your preferred roommate during registration. If you would prefer a cabin further away from the socializing area, please indicate so during registration and we will try to accommodate.

Meals at the Blitz

Please see below for a list of menu items being provided by our food vendor Oakwood Café. Registrants will have the option to choose vegetarian or non-vegetarian meal options, and vegetarian options generally include a large portion of vegetarian sides, with limited vegetarian protein options. Unfortunately, our vendor does not offer vegan options. If you have strict dietary restrictions, please plan on bringing enough food for your stay during the blitz, as grocery stores and other food options may be limited near blitz headquarters.

Bat Blitz T-shirts

Short-sleeve T-shirts are available at the registration link $20. We have two options for the Bat Blitz t-shirt. One is a soft cotton blend (photo left) that will feel familiar to anyone that attended last year’s Alabama bat blitz, and an athletic performance option (photo right). Specs and sizing for each can be viewed at the bottom of the page for each shirt. Sorry we can’t offer shipping of t-shirts to folks who aren’t coming to the blitz.

Team Leaders

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.

We will have a separate, private registration link for team leaders that our host committee will provide.

Registration Fees

Professional Registration (Double-occupancy cabin-room with roommate and kitchen): $75
Professional Registration (Single-occupancy, motel-style room): $250
Student Registration (Double occupancy only): $30
T-shirts: $20
Team Leader Registration: Free via a private registration link.

Note that we have a limited number of single-occupancy rooms available.

Since we pay our vendor in advance, we cannot offer refunds unless under special circumstances.

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

Maggie Hunt–maggie.hunt@dnr.ga.gov
Emily Ferrall –emily.ferrall@dnr.ga.gov
Ruth Stokes –ruth.stokes@usda.gov
Trina Morris –katrina.morris@dnr.ga.gov
Nikki Castleberry –neotoma@uga.edu

Bat Blitz FAQs

What is a Bat Blitz?

A Bat Blitz is a coordinated, intensive survey designed to sample the bat community in an extensive area. In just 2-3 days, volunteers at a Bat Blitz can accomplish what a small field crew could do in an entire season. These events generally involve a substantial, voluntary contribution of time and materials from bat experts. Amount of effort exerted and data collected during a Bat Blitz can be greater than what a single biologist could accomplish in an entire season. Read participation summaries and see what a Blitz can do for your agency.

Who May Volunteer for A Bat Blitz?

Anyone is welcome to attend a Bat Blitz. Attendees with valid rabies vaccinations and prior bat experience will be able to handle bats under the supervision of Blitz team leaders. All others are welcome to observe bats and the batty biologists that study them!

Why Host A Bat Blitz?

A Blitz is an efficient and fun way to provide land managers with limited information on local bat communities. Because many agencies/organizations either do not have bat experts on staff or have limited access to such expertise, obtaining information on local bat communities can be difficult. With information from a Bat Blitz, land managers will be better equipped to consider the needs of bats in land management planning efforts.

Who Should Host A Bat Blitz?

If you manage a large area of public or private land and need more information on the bat community, then you may have a good site for a Bat Blitz. It is important to consider if it is feasible to use volunteer biologists to survey the area, if you have enough time to properly plan the event, and if you have sufficient funding to cover lodging, food, and other basics. It is much easier for a team of people to organize a Blitz, so you should find at least two other people who can help with fundraising and logistics.

Where Should You Have A Bat Blitz?

Most blitzes have been focused on public lands, but any sizeable area (e.g., Forest Service district, state and federal game lands and parks, National Wildlife Refuges) that needs a basic bat survey then Bat Blitz is a candidate for an sbdn sponsored Bat Blitz. The sbdnis most interested in sponsoring blitzes in areas where few or no bat surveys have been conducted in the past. One major consideration for the success of a Blitz is the availability of housing sufficient for a group of 50-100 adults that is within one hour of most survey areas.

When is the best time to have a bat blitz?

Traditionally, sbdn-sponsored blitzes have been held in late July or early August to encourage student and professional participation and to allow for comparisons between bat blitzes. If you would like the Bat Blitz to be held at an alternative time, you should be prepared to provide sound justification to sbdn. The “preferred” schedule for Blitzes is Tuesday-Thursday (trapping nights). Beginning a Blitz on Monday means Sunday travel which may be problematic for some due to personal and professional constraints.

What are the advantages of SBDN support for your bat blitz?

Hosting a Bat Blitz is a very labor intensive, time consuming effort, but it can be well worth your time if properly planned. While a Bat Blitz can theoretically be hosted by anyone, involvement of sbdn as a sponsor can greatly enhance participation and notability of the event. To help ensure that these Blitzes maintain a level of quality control and continuity, sbdn has prepared an information packet to supplement our advisory role by providing: (1) guidelines, (2) requirements and (3) a timeline to assist planning relative to what will be expected from you.

How would I start or apply to have a bat blitz in my area?

The sbdn Bat Blitz Committee (see list below) is happy to discuss potential Blitz sites and will select a Blitz site each year approximately 18 months prior to the event. We require a brief proposal from potential hosts outlining basics such as funding, housing, food survey sites, and goals of the Blitz. Prior to submitting a bid for a sbdn-sponsored Blitz, a team 2-3 people should investigate survey potential, funding, and housing in the area of interest. The local host Blitz team must demonstrate that their agency or organization fully supports the effort and will allow the local team the resources and time to prepare for the event. If you would like more information on hosting a sbdn sponsored Bat Blitz, please contact one of the Bat Blitz Committee members.

The 2022 SBDN Guidelines for hosting a Bat Blitz can be found here.

Bat Blitz Committee

- Leanne Burns, Committee Co-Chair
- Pete Pattavina, Committee Co-Chair
- Tim Carter, Ball State University
- Bree McMurray, Missouri Dept. of Transportation
- Joy O’Keefe, University of Illinois Urban-Champaign
- Trina Morris, GA Department of Natural Resources
- Gary Libby, Skybax Ecological Services, LLC
- Jason Robinson, Lotus Enterprises, LLC
- Nikki Castleberry, Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study