Discover Central Texas Bats - 2026


Bat Survey Solutions partners with Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation (MTBC) and our colleagues at Swift River Pecans to bring a unique educational workshop featuring our joint efforts to survey for and protect bats while benefitting commercial agriculture. Along the San Marcos River in Central Texas, we will get to visit the birthplace of the commercial pecan industry at a unique orchard managed on the edge of ancient pecan forests. This Discovery Workshop showcases a restorative approach towards commercial agriculture that safeguards native soils, water, and wildlife - especially bats! 

The event kicks off with an Acoustic Survey Short Course to introduce students to bat detectors and echolocation call analysis. In Central Texas we can expect to record only about 10-different species of bats, making this course perfect for students just starting to learn how to conduct acoustic surveys for bats.

An educational Workshop follows where we highlight on-going acoustic and capture surveys, documenting how bat presence and activity has changed over the years at this amazing property. Participants will receive an excellent introduction to planning and conducting comprehensive bat surveys. Evening field trips allow interested students opportunities to learn how to set mist nets and view echolocation calls as bats fly through our survey site. We will demonstrate species identification, bat handling, the use of acoustic lures, proper "net etiquette" for surveys, and a full-range of data-collection protocols, providing an excellent introduction to the in-field study of bats.

Acoustic Survey Short Course: 28-29 September 2026

Join the Nightlife Texas Bats and Pecans Workshop: 29 September -1 October 2026

 

Both events incude a picnic dinner and bat emergence at the famous Bracken Cave, just north of San Antonio.

Formal instruction is presented in San Marcos, Texas. Field trips to Swift River Pecans in nearby Lockhart include viewing bat habitat, building artificial roosts, and visiting both commercial and native pecan groves to learn about regenerative agricultural practices. 

Evening programs to meet bats in the wild are planned each night when we capture live bats in the orchards with mist-nets and harp traps and deploy bat detectors that record and classify the echolocation calls of the many bats that will evade capture. 

Location and Directions: We plan to hold all lecture presentations at the Holiday Inn San Marcos Convention Center, 105 Bintu Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. Tel: (833) 624-6630. Demonstrations and field trips will be along the San Marcos River on the Swift River Pecans property.

Lodging: Participants must make their own lodging arrangements. 

Meals: Lunch is provided during all classroom presentations and picnic dinners are provided during all field trips. Vegetarian fare is available with advanced notice. Breakfast is on your own.

Course Instructors: This course will be presented by Troy Swift, Owner, Swift River Pecans; Merlin D. Tuttle Founder, Merlin Tuttle's Bat Consrvation; and Janet D. Tyburec, Bat Survey Solutions. 

Pre-course Preparation: There is no prerequisite for this workshop. All backyard naturalists, educators, animal-lovers, biologists, bat-workers from any background, and anyone with an interest in learning more about bats as a form of integrated pest-control and agricultural health are welcome to attend. Though the instruction and activities are geared towards adults, mature school-age children are welcome with an accompanying parent or guardian. The instructors will provide complete information to all registered participants about how to prepare for the trip, including a suggested packing list, complete maps and driving directions to all our lectures, demonstration locations, and field venues.

This workshop includes many optional opportunities for field trips and nighttime work with bats. Participants will not be allowed to handle bats without proof of current rabies pre-exposure vaccination, but photography and echolocation call recording is encouraged. Because we are conducting an on-going professional survey, instructors will facilitate all bat capture activities. Students will be allowed to handle bats with supervision at the data table to learn valuable identification and handling techniques. Adults will be required to supervise any minors brought to this activity. Bring a headlamp, in addition to a secondary light source, and a camp chair to participate in nighttime activities.  

Registration: 

Bat Survey Acoustic Short-course, Monday 29 thru Tuesday 29 September $695 (estimated)

Bats and Pecans Workshop, Tuesday 29 September thru Thursday 1 October $695 (estimated)

How to Register: Students can select just the "Bats and Pecans" workshop where we will provide a broad introduction to bat research, while capturing and recording bats in the native pecan forest, or can attend the "Acoustic Short-course" only to concentrate on non-contact bat survey methods. But why not join us for both events and become immersed in this unique opportunity to learn how bat research and long-term survey efforts directly benefit science-based agricultural practices.

Registrations are handled by Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation. Click Here for Details!

For detailed information about the logistics, what-to-bring, arranging meals for special diets, and for any other questions, contact: Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation.