An excellent interview with Simon Tonkin & Niki Williamson, the owners of Inglorious Bustards, based in Andalucia, Spain. During our chat we talk about, setting up their business, bird migration, eco-tourism, the trips they organise & the conservation work they are involved with in The Gambia. Inglorious Bustards - visit here Flyway Birding Association - visit here
During the Bat Conservation Trust's National Bat Conference (Dutham, Sept 2025) we had the pleasure of catching up with many old friends, & meeting some new ones. Here we have created a podcast which includes some of the many people we engaged with. Massive thanks to all, including the following podcast participants - in order of appearance, as follows: Nigel Massen (Pelagic Publishing) Steve Powell/Daniel Moonen (NHBS Ltd) Oliver Devereux (Thomas Jacks Ltd) Andrew Milner/Liat Wicks/Kate Volodarets (Thermal Vision Ecology) Sarah Deans (Lotek UK Ltd) Tiffany Jedrecka/Kate Denton (Nature Metrics) Sam Davis (Reflex Cameras) Josef Carlson (BioSonic, Sweden) Andreia Correia da Costa (Bat Conservation Trust) Carrie-Ann Coxon Illustrations David Koller (Elekon AG - Switzerland) Dilly Hoyt (Fox Mountain Glassworks) Martin Bailey (Wildlife & Countryside Services / Poland Trips) Paul Howden-Leach (Wildlife Acoustics)
Here we are delighted to be speaking with George Bemment about the recently published 'Bats & Ladders, Stories from the Real World of Bat Conservation'. George has been involved with mammals her whole working life, as a zookeeper for 5 years, before taking a zoology degree & then in 1988 joining a national bat conservation project. Professional & voluntary bat work has dominated her life. A mammalogist at heart, she has also taught as a part-time lecturer in mammalogy (Exeter University), sat on the Council of the Mammal Society, & is a founding member of the Devon Mammal Group Bats & Ladders - find out more about the book here The Bat Conservation Trust
Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to. If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
Anne Youngman was the Bat Conservation Trust’s (BCT) first Scottish Bat Officer from 2003 to 2017, & is very well known & respected within the bat community. This is her 4th time on Talking Bat, & on this occasion we focus on her latest challenge, this time to complete the 100 km St Cuthbert’s Way ultra-marathon. A challenge that could take >19 hours to complete. Did she do it? Find out here. Why? It’s all for charity \o/ in order to raise money for The Bat Conservation Trust. Make your donation here on Anne's Just Giving page.
A 'one off' special just for our podcast audience. Aileen Hendry interviews Neil Middleton about the recent Talking Bat milestones achieved: >100 episodes & >10,000 downloads. ^o^ A massive thanks to all of our amazing guests & all of our fabulous listeners. :-) If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
Thought provoking, engaging, entertaining & aspirational are all things we can say about our guest, Lucy McRobert. In addition to her role at The Sound Approach, Lucy writes a monthly column for the hugely respected Birdwatch magazine, & has authored two books, so far (more on the way!). Really enjoyed our chat, & getting her perspectives on so many aspects of life, being a birder & being an author. Blue's Planet (Australia) book 365 Days Wild book Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust
Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to. If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
Delighted to invite James Shipman back for a second time on our Talking... series. This time we are focussing on his recently published book: Identifying Bats of Britain & Ireland - A Field Workers Guide Bat Conservation Trust
Ian Agranat is the founder & CEO at Wildlife Acoustics, an organisation that supplies a huge amount of bio-acoustics hardware & software solutions worldwide. During this interview we explore Ian's backstory, the lead up to the launch of the business, & the current challenging economic/political climate within which a US based company is operating. Wildlife Acoustics The Nature Connection
Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to. If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
An excellent conversion with Jim Mullholland, director of BATS Research & Training. Jim has been involved with bat research since 2005, & is also a qualified arboriculturist, as well as having a diploma in teaching & training. He is highly respected in his field of expertise, & heavily involved in bat-related training. Bat Conservation Trust Nightwatch project
Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to. If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
Adria Lopez-Baucells is a bat researcher & conservationist at the Natural Sciences Museum of Granollers. He carried out his PhD (University of Lisbon, 2018) on the Effects of Amazonian rainforest fragmentation on tropical bats using autonomous ultrasound detectors, which also resulted in the publication of his first book: 'Field Guide To The Bats of the Amazon' Ardia Lopez-Baucells website Bat Monitoring Programme website
Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to. If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
Dr Paul Donald is a senior conservation scientist (Birdlife International) with >30 yrs experience conceiving, planning, funding & managing high-impact projects on a wide range of issues, & has published research in many of the world’s leading scientific journals. During this interview we take a look at some of Paul's previous work, his passion for larks, & then move on to discussing his latest book 'Traffication - How Cars Destroy Nature & What We Can Do About It'. Traffication - How Cars Destroy Nature & What We Can Do About It Birdlife International - Donate Here Ornithological Society Of The Middle East The Caucasus and Central Asia - Join Here Facing Extinction - The World's Rarest Birds and the Race to Save Them
Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to. If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
Delighted to be chatting with Dr Orly Razgour (University of Exeter), who is an Associate Professor in Global Change Ecology, as well as Director of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion. Describing herself as a molecular ecologist & conservation biologist, Orly's research is applied in nature, aiming to provide the evidence base for managing our environment. Dr Orly Razgour on ResearchGate Bat Conservation Trust
Every month Aileen Hendry (BatAbility Courses & Tuition) is joined by Neil Middleton to deliver a 'light-hearted' monthly update for our BatAbility Club members. We are sharing it here for the benefit of anyone who wishes to find out more about what we are up to. If you are not a Club member, but would like to know more about how to join up, please go to the following link: batability.co.uk/batability-club/
Dr Jonny Hanson @jonnyhhanson is a Research Fellow at Queen's University (Belfast), an award-winning social entrepreneur, & the author of the recently published 'Living With Lynx - Sharing Landscapes with Big Cats, Wolves & Bears'. During our conversation we look at various perspectives around the subject matter of the book, as well as other associated topics. 'Living With Lynx' book here Dr Jonny Hanson website here Snow Leopard Conservancy Snow Leopard Trail documentary teaser here