HISTORY
Our working group has a long history behind. We started bat research in 1975, discovering old manor cellars as important hibernation sites of sedentary bats in Estonia. This discovery lead us into the study on underground and semi-underground types of bat roosts in several European countries during the following decades.
In 1984 we opened new branches in bat research in Estonia by mist-netting bats at their summer colonies, ringing migratory bat species, building special means to catch bats at migration routes, and studying bats in bird boxes.
In 1992 we started a new type of bat research, using ultrasound detectors in Estonia. On this way developing and improving bat counting methods, implementing bat monitoring schemes, and analyzing bat sounds to identify bat species.
During the last decades we have visited different European countries, implementing detector-based methods also there. We offered our contribution and expert advice in every country, and are offering this also now.
Our team has carried out detector-based bat counts and bat monitoring in the following European countries, the representatives of which are kindly asked to contact us to discuss this batwork.
Estonia, since 1992
Finland, since 2011
Germany, since 2017
Hungary, since 2007
Italy, in 2013
Latvia, since 2006
Lithuania, since 1995
Luxembourg, in 2006
Norway, since 2000
Poland, in 2004
Spain, since 2018
Liiva, E. & Masing, M. 1987. [Ökoloogilised vaatlused nahkhiirte talvituspaikades.] – Acta et comm. Univ. Tartuensis, 769, 41–55. (vene k)
Lutsar, M., Masing, M. & Poots, L. 2000. Changes in the numbers of hibernating bats in the caves of Piusa (Estonia), 1949–1999. – Folia Theriologica Estonica, 5, 101–117.
Masing, M. 2004. Estonian Bat Group – the story. – Eptesicus 3, April 2004, 10 pp. (www.hot.ee/eptesicus) (Masing 2004 Estonian Bat Group - Eptesicus 3 - text only mod.pdf) (2019)
Masing, M. 2009. Eesti parkide nahkhiireline väärtus detektor-uuringute põhjal (1999–2008). Abiks loodushuvilisele, 25.2.2009. – Sicista PDF, Tartu, 25 lk.
Masing, M. 2015. Bats of Estonia and adjacent regions. Sicista Development Centre. Haapsalu and Tartu, 116 pp.
Masing, M. 2017. Bats of Högnäs and South Bodom. Final Report. – Sicista PDF. Haapsalu and Tartu, 70 pp.
Masing, M. 2019m. Nahkhiirte detektor-uuring Jägala jõe alamjooksu piirkonnas 2018. aasta suvel (looduskaitselise uurimistöö kokkuvõte). Sicista Arenduskeskus MTÜ. 118 lk. 10.3.2019 (Tellija: Jõelähtme Vallavalitsus) (käsikiri)
Masing, M. 2020. Study on bats (Chiroptera) in Berlin in 2019. Part 1. Detector-based study on bats in Berlin with the aim of monitoring their populations. – Sicista PDF. February 2020, 103 pp.
Masing, M. 2022. Nahkhiirte uurimise ajaloost Eestis (ja mitte ainult). – Sicista PDF. Tartu, 48 lk.
Masing, M. 2023. Monitoring bats in Central Espoo. Short version. – Sicista PDF. Tartu, 34 pp.
Masing, M. & Baranauskas, K. 2011. Monitoring bats in Vilnius during spring and summer. – 12th European Bat Research Symposium. Vilnius, 22–26 August 2011, poster presentation, 7 pp.
Masing, M., Baranauskas, K. & Mickevičius, E. 1997. New data on bats of eastern Lithuania from summer 1995. – Myotis, 35, 95–101.
Masing, M., Baranauskas, K., Siivonen, Y. & Wermundsen, T. 2009. Bats hibernating in Kaunas Fortress, Lithuania. – Estonian Journal of Ecology, 58(3), 192–204.
Masing, M. & Buša, I. 1983. [Nahkhiirte talvitumisest Lõuna-Balti piirkonnas.] – Soobshcheniya Pribaltijskoj komissii po izucheniyu migracii ptic, 16, 102–114. (vene k)
Masing, M., Keppart, P. & Keppart, V. 1982. Nahkhiirte talvitumisest Põhja-Eestis. – Loodusevaatlusi 1980, 1, 99–115.
Masing, M., Keppart, V., Keppart, P., Leivits, A. & Vilbaste, H. 1987. Nahkhiirte rände uurimisest Kablis 1984. aasta sügisel. – Loodusevaatlusi 1985, 1, 75–86.
Masing, M., Laur, T., Leivits, A. & Vilbaste, H. 1987. Studies on bat migration in Estonia in autumn 1985. – Loodusevaatlusi 1985, 1, 87–103.
Masing, M. & Lutsar, L. 2007. Hibernation temperatures in seven species of sedentary bats (Chiroptera) in northeastern Europe. – Acta Zoologica Lituanica, 17 (1), 47–55.
Masing, M., Lutsar, L. & Lotman, K. 2005. Line counting and point counting of foraging bats in Estonia, a comparison. – Le Rhinolophe, 17, 121–125.
Masing, M. & Muru, T. 2005m. Nahkhiirte talvituspaikade inventeerimine Lääne-Virumaal 2003. ja 2004. aastal. Sicista Arenduskeskus, Tartu, 187 lk. (Lääne-Virumaa Keskkonnateenistus) (käsikiri)
Masing, M., Poots, L., Randla, T. & Lutsar, L. 1999. 50 years of bat-ringing in Estonia: methods and the main results. – Plecotus et al., 2, 20–35.
Masing, M. & Siivonen, Y. 2005. Driving home from Vilnius (and establishing a bat group on the way). – Eptesicus 4, May 2005. (www.hot.ee/eptesicus)