Bat House Forum

[Dave Miller]

In another post Erik offered to share his tips for photographing bats in bat houses (and elsewhere). I would love to read them!

For photographing bats in bat houses, I have found that it really helps to orient the camera perpendicular to the crevices. This allows the flash to penetrate deeper into the crevices. Otherwise, the crevice boards cast shadows since the flash and the lens are several inches apart.

For focusing, you definitely need to be able to lock the focus at a particular spot. If you use autofocus you will get a nice picture of the bottom of the house, but the inside will be out of focus.

I have found that for me it is much easier to use a camera to do bat house counts than to use a flashlight or mirror. My flashlight is useless except at night. During the day, the sky is too bright and the flashlight is too dim. During the day the sun is brighter than any flashlight, so reflecting sunlight with a mirror into the house works well - IF the sky is clear, which around here is often not the case. Also the sun is often shaded by nearby trees, or the snag on which the bat house is mounted. I am also concerned about the impact of shining bright sunlight onto the bats.

With a camera, if you zoom in to the bottom of the bat house it will cause the flash to be used (or you can force the flash to be used), even during bright sunshine. With the focus set to manual, I find a spot on the outside of the house which corresponds to the interior location that I am trying to get in focus. I focus on a point on the outside of the house, and take a photo (perpendicular to the crevices). Then I use the screen on the camera to zoom in and check the focus, camera angle, etc. After a minute or two of trial and error, I get everything "dialed in" and capture my shots. Using the zoom feature on the display, I can see minute details which tells me how many bats, where they are, wasp nest locations, etc.

Back on the computer, I rotate and crop the photos, and zoom in to examine the details.

[Erik]

Hi Dave,

I don't have to post my tips for photographing bats in bat houses anymore, because you just did!
Funny to see that some things are really universal...

But here are three slides from my workshop. I have tried to translate them for the forum:







It took some practice, but some pictures are just fine...


I made this picture, standing on the ground and holding the camera approx. 3,5 meters under the bat house.

I just started to put some bat house pictures and other bat related pictures on Flickr.
More will follow soon.

Erik

[dasycneme]

Erik, don't forget with European law a license is required to use flash photography when taking photographs of bats, why? because flash photography or bright lights may make the bats stay in the roost when they should be out feeding, different species emerge at different times because of the type of food they require, they may have had a poor feeding the previous night and are therefore hungery and of course they may have juviniles waiting to be fed. To others, I know in the States this seems trivial but our bat populations have strict regulations to attempt to protect them. Roger

[Erik]

Hi Roger,

I agree with you on the issue of taking photographs of emerging bats. I also hardly ever check by bat house or take photographs just before dawn*, but always during the day. Most times the bats don't even react at all on the flashlight or the camera flash. Once or twice a year I open my bat houses (and I am licensed for that) to examine the bats (male, female, weight, sexual activity etc and a determination check - is it what we think it is).
I don't know about that specific European legislation, but I know that in the Dutch implementation (and also the German and Belgium) of the European Habitat-convention there is no mention of a license needed for taking photographs of bats with flash lights. We have a license program for netting bats, visiting roost (winter and summer - e.g. church attics), handling bats, etcetera. But a lot of other activities should be licensed as well. I agree with you on that. Most of the photographers I know take bat conservation very serious, but as the passion for getting that one best picture is sometimes also very strong, a license program for this would be better indeed.
To make this European discussion (on a American Forum) broader. You say that

To others, I know in the States this seems trivial but our bat populations have strict regulations to attempt to protect them. Roger

. Why should that seem trivial? Because the US still has the huge areas with natural habitat, while we have almost destroyed all Western European Natural Habitat? Even if numerous, bats species still need special protection, because of there lifestyle is so vulnerable and so hidden from our sight. Before you know it, a species is on the brink of extinction. For example the Indiana Myotis.
The side-effect of mass gathering in hibernacula and nursery roosts is that a single human mistake can kill a whole local population of a species.

By the way: were you referring to the pictures of bats inside the bat house? Or of the "Photo shoot of a bat house" on my [url]Flickr[/url].

Erik

*sometimes I visit a bat house to film emerging bats with a videocamera and IR-light and check the bat house to be sure that it is occupied.

[dasycneme]

Erik,
I like your comment re destroying our habitat, how true and we continue to do so.
Re the European law and photography, I have to admit that I am unable to find the original legislation during a quick search, I will try again.
In the UK this is part of the licensing including photography, the full Bat Workers Manual is available in PDF at http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-2861#download there are other publications such as 'Bat Mitigation Guidelines' at http://naturalengland.communisis.com/NaturalEnglandShop/product.aspx?ProductID=77002188-97f9-45a5-86a6-326a7ea3cd69
I was just reffering generaly for the benifit of any UK enthusiasts and highlighting my concern re desturbing bats particulary at emergence times.
Cheers
Roger.

Bat Licensing.
The licence, which may be valid for between 1 and
3 years, carries a number of conditions including,
most importantly, a general liaison clause to prevent
conflict between workers in adjacent areas.
ii) To disturb, take or possess bats
for scientific purposes
This allows endorsements of special techniques or
types of activity not otherwise covered. However it
does not cover ringing, marking or disturbance for
photography, which are licensed separately.
The types of projects that might be covered include:
• use of mist-nets or harp traps for surveys or
scientific research;
• taking bats for genetic sampling;
• taking bats for radio-tracking studies
(combined with a marking licence);
• possessing bats for flight or echolocation
studies in the laboratory.
iii) To disturb bats for the purpose of
photography
Licences may be issued specifically for bat
photography but only where there is a special case
for doing so. This will normally only be where the
results contribute directly to public awareness about
bats, as with some filming for television. The
welfare of the bats must be the prime consideration
at all times.
In England, Scotland and Wales, the standard
licence includes a note about photography, which is
permissible as an incidental part of licensed
conservation or scientific work where no additional
disturbance is caused thereby. This does not
require a separate licence, but care must be taken
not to cross the boundary between what is
genuinely incidental and what is designed to get a
good photograph. If you are in doubt, it is better to
consult the SNCO’s Licensing Section and obtain a
licence if necessary. In Northern Ireland incidental
photography (without a flash) is considered to be
included in the basic roost visitors licence. Where
you have a valid licence to disturb, take or possess
bats, the camera can be a useful device to record
the activities undertaken without intruding on them.
Flash photography in roosts or hibernacula does not
come into this category and requires separate
licensing, as does the taking of bats into captivity
for filming or photography. Flash photography of
CHAPTER 1 BATS AND THE LAW 16
hibernating bats should generally be limited as the
noise and light could disturb them.
In order to gain a scientific or photographic licence,
applicants need to demonstrate a serious interest in
bat work and an understanding of how and when
particular techniques should be employed.
Licences for netting, trapping or other techniques
for catching bats in flight will require the applicant
to demonstrate experience and competence in the
use of the particular catching technique, as
witnessed by a trainer, and appreciation of its
appropriate application. Licences will be issued
only for projects that have been agreed with the
appropriate SNCO.
1.5.3 Licences to ring or mark bats
for scientific purposes
These licences are only granted for research
projects with clear objectives. Techniques such as
fur clipping or the attachment of radio transmitters
or passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags are also
covered by these licences.
Ringing and marking, or the disturbance associated
with these activities, can be harmful to bats so that
ringing has been stopped or severely curtailed in
several countries. In the UK, the value of ringing
and marking techniques is recognised, but licences
are issued only for clearly defined projects which
will be subject to the approval of the licensing
authority. Details of approved ringing and marking
methods are given in Chapter 6.

[dasycneme]

http://www.worldbirders.com/index.asp?PageId=86&PageName=Daubenton%27s-Bat

Some interesting photographs of a Myotis daubentonii (Daubenton's bat) flying over some water in March 2008 in the UK, sorry a little off the subject of bat houses but still interesting.
Roger

[Joe Spencer]

http://www.worldbirders.com/index.asp?PageId=86&PageName=Daubenton%27s-Bat

Some interesting photographs of a Myotis daubentonii (Daubenton's bat) flying over some water in March 2008 in the UK, sorry a little off the subject of bat houses but still interesting.
Roger

Your link is clickable here now Roger: http://www.worldbirders.com/index.asp?PageId=86&PageName=Daubenton%27s-Bat

You must use the URL button not the u which is for underline. BTW fantastic info here guys. I really like those photography tips and diagrams. Well done!

[Terry Lobdell]

Erik, those are great diagrams you posted! Those will really be helpful to me in the upcoming season, Thanks!

[spikegomez]

That is a helpful thing for me... i like capturing images of bats... sleeping or just staying inside of their house....


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