Wild Wings Ecology -

New course dates released for 2024

We are excited to announce that our courses are moving to Ecology Resources for 2024 and we have released the first course dates and opened bookings.

Please head to the Ecology Resources training page to find out more and to book.

We will be running Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3/4 courses in 2024.

Bat Licence Training Courses

Working towards your bat licence? Our intensive courses will give your bat training a boost.

About the Courses

We set up our Bat Licence Training Courses in 2017 in response to demand for quality, intensive, structured courses, targeted at each Bat Survey Class Licence level.

We believe in a hands-on approach, giving you the opportunity to learn skills in field-based practical sessions, as well as ensuring a comprehensive grounding in the theory through classroom-based modules.

We keep group sizes small!

The courses are designed to complement and strengthen your wider training and may be used to kick-start your training towards a specific licence level, as a ‘boost’ to your existing experience or to help you complete your training for a licence.

Subject to meeting the required standards, passing the course assessments and review of a satisfactory training log/your additional experience, the Course Tutor can provide a 'Course Completion Certificate’, where appropriate. Natural England will accept our Course Completion Certificates in lieu of 1 reference when applying for a licence.

Courses are held in Lenwade (near Norwich), with field excursions around Norfolk.

“Fun and informative. The team from Thomson that attended the Level 1 bat course had a fantastic time, with the amazing bat roost inspection visit being the highlight for us. The course was run in a friendly and interactive fashion, yet had good structure and was very informative for those wishing to increase their knowledge of bat surveying and the associated legislation and guidelines involved. I would urge anyone seeking to further their knowledge in this area, as well as possibly gain a licence reference, to get in touch with Wild Wings Ecology. We aim to return to undertake further courses as soon as we can!”

James Turner, Regional Office Manager & Principal Ecological Consultant, Thomson Environmental Consultants.

Level 1 Bat Licence Training Course

Our two-day Level 1 course consists of six classroom-based modules and three practical sessions (including one evening session) and concludes with a written assessment (total contact time around 14 hours).

Who is the course aimed at?

Ecological consultants, researchers, students, bat group members and enthusiasts working towards their Level 1 Bat Survey Class Licence.

About the course:

The course focusses on the Level 1 ‘licensable activities’ (and the skills and knowledge needed to support these):

surveying structures for bats using artificial light (visual inspections/PRAs)
assessing roost potential of trees
emergence & re-entry surveys
visual identification of bats

Non-licensable activities such as acoustic surveys and analysis of sound recordings are not covered in this course.

Pre-course recommendations:

No previous experience required. Familiarity with the UK bat species and the law relating to bats would be beneficial.

Those looking to complete their training for the licence/seeking a reference/Course Completion Certificate should contact us for details of what we expect for experience level and your training log.

Upcoming course dates:

Please head to the Ecology Resources training page to find out more and to book.

Level 2 Bat Licence Training Course

The Level 2 course takes place over three days, commencing in the afternoon on the first day and finishing at lunchtime on the third day. The course consists of four classroom-based modules and five practical sessions (including two late evening sessions hand-netting, handling and processing bats) and concludes with a written assessment (total contact time around 20 hours).

Who is the course aimed at?

Ecological consultants, researchers, students, bat group members and enthusiasts working towards their Level 2 Bat Survey Class Licence.

About the course:

The course focusses on the Level 2 ‘licensable activities’ (and the skills and knowledge needed to support these):

catching bats with a hand-net
handling and processing bats
identification of bats in the hand
checking bat boxes
using an endoscope

Pre-course recommendations:

Preferably participants will already hold a Level 1 licence and have experience of a range of bat survey types as well as visual identification of common bat species.

Those looking to complete their training for the licence/seeking a reference/Course Completion Certificate should contact us for details of what we expect for experience level and your training log.

Participants must be rabies vaccinated and bring suitable gloves as this course involves handling bats.

Upcoming course dates:

Please head to the Ecology Resources training page to find out more and to book.

Level 3/4 Bat Licence Training Course

The Level 3/4 course takes place over three days, commencing in the afternoon on the first day and finishing early afternoon on the third day. The course consists of two classroom-based modules and five practical sessions (including two night-time sessions: harp-trapping, mist-netting and handling and processing bats) and concludes with a written assessment (total contact time around 26 hours).

Who is the course aimed at?

Ecological consultants, researchers, students, bat group members and enthusiasts working towards their Level 3 and/or Level 4 Bat Survey Class Licence(s).

About the course:

The course focusses on the Level 3/4 ‘licensable activities’ (and the skills and knowledge needed to support these):

catching bats using mist-nets
catching bats using harp-traps
using an acoustic lure
identification of bats in the hand

Pre-course recommendations:

Preferably participants will already hold a Level 2 Bat Survey Class Licence.

Participants must be competent at handling and processing bats and should be able to identify common species.

Those looking to complete their training for the licence/seeking a reference/Course Completion Certificate should contact us for details of what we expect for experience level and your training log.

Participants must be rabies vaccinated and bring suitable gloves as this course involves handling bats

Upcoming course dates:

Please head to the Ecology Resources training page to find out more and to book.

Courses are led by Dr Charlotte Packman – see our Meet the Team page for further details.

About the licence levels

There are four Class Licences ‘to survey bats of all species for scientific (including research) and/or educational purposes’ (Natural England).

The licences permit the disturbance and surveying of bats by different methods (with Levels 2-4 including taking/capturing bats by different methods):

Level 1 (CL17) - observation only including the use of artificial light, in the form of torches (but not for hibernating bats and does not cover using endoscopes).
Level 2 (CL18) - endoscopes, hand and static hand-held nets as well as using artificial light (e.g. torches), including disturbance of (but not handling) hibernating bats.
Level 3 (CL19) - mist nets and acoustic lures as well as artificial light (e.g. torches), endoscopes, hand and static hand-held nets.
Level 4 (CL20) - harp traps and acoustic lures as well as artificial light (e.g. torches), endoscopes, hand and static hand-held nets, but not mist-nets.

Each licence level includes all methods covered under the preceding licence level, with the exception of Level 4, which includes use of harp traps but not mist-nets. Therefore if you want to use mist nets and harp traps, you will need to hold both Level 3 and Level 4 licences (and these include all of the Level 1 and Level 2 methods).

Please read carefully the Natural England licence documents for full details of what each licence does and does not cover, terms and conditions, information and advice:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bats-survey-or-research-licence-level-1

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bats-survey-or-research-licence-level-2

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bats-survey-or-research-licence-level-3

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bats-survey-or-research-licence-level-4