Join the Nightlife 2026

Are you passionate about wildlife and conservation? Don't miss this incredible opportunity to learn about bats and their crucial role in our ecosystem. Are you a biologist or industry professional looking to learn the ins and outs of acoustic monitoring, identification, and data management? Join us for our add-on Acoustic Course (details below).

This unique educational workshop offers a rare opportunity to explore the intersection of bat conservation and sustainable agriculture. Set along the scenic San Marcos River in Central Texas, participants will visit the birthplace of the commercial pecan industry and experience a beautifully managed orchard bordering ancient native pecan forests. Through expert-led activities, field demonstrations, and up-close encounters with bats, you'll discover how these remarkable animals support healthy ecosystems and productive farms. The workshop highlights a restorative approach to agriculture that protects soil, water, and wildlife while revealing the important role bats play in safeguarding both our environment and our food supply.

SEPTEMBER 28 & 29 – Acoustic Short Course

This event begins with a two-day Acoustic Survey Short Course designed to introduce students to bat detectors and echolocation call analysis—an increasingly important wildlife survey technique. Acoustic monitoring offers a non-invasive way to study bats, but the equipment and analysis methods can be challenging to learn.

Led by renowned bat acoustics expert Janet Tyburec, the course covers equipment selection, detector deployment, data collection and organization, species identification, and echolocation call analysis. Participants will learn to identify Central Texas bat species, interpret survey results, and contribute data to professional bat monitoring projects. Hands-on practicums and an optional field demonstration will help students build confidence in conducting their own surveys.

The course is integrated with an ongoing acoustic monitoring project at Swift River Pecans, where bat activity has been surveyed since 2022 using passive detectors deployed in orchards and native pecan forests. Real survey data will be used to demonstrate analysis and reporting methods commonly required for USFWS compliance and large-scale monitoring programs. Students will receive trial versions of echolocation analysis software along with digital and printed course materials.

SEPTEMBER 29 – Exclusive Tour of Bracken Cave

We close the Acoustic Short Course and open the Agriculture Workshop with a private evening at Bracken Cave, home to the world's largest bat colony. Both groups of participants will witness the breathtaking spectacle as millions of bats take to the skies during their nightly emergence. This awe-inspiring sight is an experience you'll treasure forever.

SEPTEMBER 30 & October 1 – Bat Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture Workshop

Through expert-led lectures, hands-on field experiences, and evening demonstrations, participants will gain a comprehensive introduction to bat conservation and survey techniques. The workshop highlights the integration of acoustic monitoring and live-capture surveys, using long-term research data from the property to explore changes in bat activity over time and demonstrate how multiple survey methods work together to answer ecological questions.

Participants will learn how to identify species, handle bats safely, deploy acoustic lures, follow proper mist-netting protocols, and collect field data. Live bats will be sampled for guano and DNA analysis to investigate the insect pests they consume, providing insight into the ecological and agricultural benefits of bats.

Field trips will showcase regenerative agricultural practices and bat-friendly land management. Evening demonstrations offer the opportunity to observe mist-netting and acoustic recording in action, giving participants an up-close look at bats in their natural environment while building practical skills for future conservation and research projects.

Your journey with us comes with these inclusions:

• Complimentary lunches and dinners

• A free signed copy of MTBC's newest book, The Bat House Guide

• 1 year of Leadership Membership in MTBC, including 20 free photo downloads, discounts on additional photo downloads and merchandise, and exclusive invitations to join Merlin for privately chartered bat-watching cruises at Austin’s Congress Avenue Bridge

• Course credit from participating Master Naturalist programs

Accommodations & Travel (Not Included)

Proof of recent rabies vaccination or acceptable titer is required for handling bats, but not required for attendance. For inquiries, email Danielle@MerlinTuttle.org