Bat detectors

[Bushwhacker]

Does anyone use one and how easy is it to differentiate species from their calls.
I like standing outside my place at night and switching the lights on to get the moths in to have a look what's about, but it also attracts the bats too (the moths attract them, not the light) and I would love to know what species they are, but they're way too quick to identify by eye.

 

[JonathanD]

It's very easy to identify them via their calls if you get a bat detector as they all call on different frequencies and have distinct vocalisations. Go to Alanaecologys website and you can buy good detectors and CDs . It's great fun.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Now the mrs thinks I'm cranked, but I swear that I can hear some of them.
Are there any bats which would be within our hearing range or is there another type of noise they make other than echo location?

 

[JonathanD]

Now the mrs thinks I'm cranked, but I swear that I can hear some of them.
Are there any bats which would be within our hearing range or is there another type of noise they make other than echo location?

No you can hear them, only most people lose that ability as we get older. Certain species are easier to hear than others, like pipistrelles. I used to be able to hear a few species up until five years ago when it started to fade. I can still here certain species and certain calls, but it's just the occasional sound I snatch. I used to be able to hear them contantly when walking down the street or out in the woods.

They do make different noises, but usually only when picked up or disturbed. They make a really loud cussing noise if picked up that no-one can fail to hear. I rescued a pipistrelle on Sunday that had flown into the bedroom, you should have heard the cussing he made when I plucked him off the curtain to let him out. Potty mouthed little tike.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Excellent, so I'm not going mental. Sounds like I'll have to make the most of being able to do so before the rot kicks in.

Nice link on the bat detectors, there's some hefty price tags on some of them (and I thought my ferret locator was expensive!) but did see one for £76 which comes with the software.
I don't think it'll be in this years budget, but I could always get one for Chrimbo ready for next year. It would really help me take an active part in the Dorset WT's surveys as well as my own personal learning.

 

[marooned]

I love the chirring sound of pipistrelles in the evening. If you do get hold of a detector it's pretty magical. You'll probably get to hear several species. I had a great experience of greater horseshoe bats - on a biology field course we located a roost under an archway of a bell tower and waited until we could see a few just starting to come out and test the air. When dusk falls they come out of the roost and sample the light. When it's dark enough for them they come out properly. We found this roost and walked a few metres from it and lay down on the ground on our backs with our bat detectors. Then all at once they came screaming out of the roost over our heads just missing our noses. They were so close I could feel the breeze as they whizzed by hunting for midges and moths.

Another interseting point is that some moths can detect the ultrasonic frequencies emitted by the bats and will drop out of the air or fly in a rapidly distorted manner in order to evade the attack. You can imitate this effect by using a dog whistle.....watch the moths drop out of the air!

 

[Bushwhacker]

Another interseting point is that some moths can detect the ultrasonic frequencies emitted by the bats and will drop out of the air or fly in a rapidly distorted manner in order to evade the attack. You can imitate this effect by using a dog whistle.....watch the moths drop out of the air!

Cool, will have to give that a try.

The old church up the road must have quite a lot of bats because the amount of droppings I saw in the porch is unreal. Can bats be ID'd from droppings or are they all too similar?

 

[salan]

We bought a bat detector and what we found interesting is the number of other things that create ultrasonic sounds. Even humans!
Just point a ba detector at your fingers and rubthem together.
I tried it and I can detect someone comming towards me in pitch black at about25 yds or so.
Could improve the range once I have 'tuned in' tot he sounds
Alan

 

[jdlenton]

I use a detector all the time they are great. i was going to type out a long explanation of how they work but the Bat conservation trust have done it for me here
another good resource for bat identification is the Field studies council "A guide to British Bats" its ref is OP65 and it was published in 2001 its £2:75 from here it shows how to identify bats by flight, by call and in the hand the latter you are only allowed to do if you are licenced other wise you could get yourself in a lot of hot water.

happy bat detecting we love it in our house my 5 year old is now a dab hand

 

[Trunks]

I have a "Magenta 2" bat detector, it's cheap but works well. As a member of the West Yorkshire bat group & bat conservation trust i get to go all over the place doing surveys - sometimes i even get paid to do it

If you are interested in more info, try to find out if you have a local group, they will take you out with them and let you use their equipment.

 

[badgeringtim]

Yeah trying to go to a local group is a good idea - unfortunately the lower price bat detectors arent much cop (although certainly a window into a hitherto undiscovered world im sure), but you might be able to have a play or certainly hear of several different types, so appreciate the difference before parting with your cash. As a note if you want to use softwards to id the bats - you do need a good recording device, dictaphones can be sued but the clarity os bobbins, mini disks also, mps players are probably the easiest and give a reasonable clarity.
To start with though try to do it from ear - its the strength of the call as you scan through the frequency thats key - as well as the patttern of the call, plus of course different bats have different habits and flight patterns and this can be usefull too!

Someone mentioned bat droppings and yes you can tel species from them, although this to takes a little practice.
Bats are fun although they do keep unsociable hours...

)

 

[Lordyosch]

My dad built and sold bat detectors thru ebay a while back. I have a tuneable one but I've rarely used it. It is surprising just how much ultrasonic there is about the place.


Jay