Bat detectors (1 Viewer)

Hi everyone, I'm thinking about getting myself a bat detector. Looking at nhbs i have found the magenta bat 5 and also the batbox baton detector.

Just wondering if anyone has experiences of these, especially the baton, which with the software does appear very interesting. Would the sonograms make it easier to id certain bats? Or is it very complicated as a beginner entering into the world of detectors.

Opinions welcome please. B

I have the Magenta bat 5 and it does the job perfectly well, I was a beginner when I got it (and still am) and am more than happy with what it provides. The sonograms may help for the harder/rarer species, but for the regulars the combination of sounds, frequency and behaviour is enough to tell them apart I think.

thanks for the reply, the magenta bat 5 looks like the best option. I wont be buying it immediately, as i want to gather as much info as i can to make sure im making the right purchase.

Anyone else got any opinions?

Also can you record from the bat 5 to something like a dictaphone?

Well if you're feeling flush I would have to say that the best set-up is a Pettersson D240 time-expansion with an Roland Edirol recording device. Time-expansion is the only way to go really but it's not cheap. For software, use Sonobat. Studying TE sonograms will sharpen your ID skills no-end.

The Batbox Griffin is apparently coming on the market soon - this one promises to be the best yet but is even more expensive than a D240.

If you're serious about bats then it's worth the investment in professional kit.

The Magenta 5 has a line out socket so you can record onto pretty much anything (digital recorder/some MP3 players/DAT tapes etc etc). The Magenta 5 plus an FSC fold-out guide called A Guide to British Bats is the best starting point - it lists frequency ranges, but also has descriptions of the calls, flight pattern diagrams, habitat and ecology info (plus it's only £2.99!). Our Wildlife Equipment Specialist is out tracking radio-tagged bats for a few nights (so not in the office by day...) - give him a ring next week (w/c 31st Aug) if you need any further info, or drop us a line.

Time Expansion with e.g. a D240x is certainly worth the investment for serious survey/professional use. We have a great review of the Edirol recorder going live soon - focused on bat use.

Griffins coming very, very soon...

Nigel

Or from a slightly different perspective...

With a Heterodyne Detector, plus observing flight behaviour, it is possible to identify the following UK bat species, at least some of the time:

Greater Horseshoe
Lesser Horseshoe
Noctule
Leisler's
Serotine
Barbastelle
Common Pipistrelle
Soprano Pipistrelle
Nathusius Pipistrelle
Brown Long Eared
Daubenton's Bat
Natterer's Bat

But this takes time, and experience to learn the behaviour patterns, and interpreting the calls on the bat detector. Plus you will miss some species if you are tuned in to other species.

Frequency Division is much the same except you can take more accurate sound recordings, and you don't miss any bats that are out of range of the Heterodyne tuning.
For the recordings, you'd need a sound recorder, e.g. Eridol, or Zoom H2, plus sound analysis software (Wavesurfer and Audacity are free). You can analyse the sounds back on the PC, and identify a good deal more bats. Some detectors are both FD and heterodyne, 1 channel in each ear!

Time Expansion will presumably identify a higher percentage again, and presumably will identify the remaining species that are pretty much impossible with Frequency Division/Heterodyne and flight patterns, in the UK these are namely:

Whiskered, Brandt's, Alcathoes, Bechsteins, plus any i've missed

Many of the species above, (including all the Time Expansion only species) are quite rare in much of the UK, so depending on where you live, there may only be 3 or 4 species regularly occurring, in which case, a time expansion detector may be overkill? Maybe get in touch with your local Bat Group for advice, and maybe join them on a bat walk. You'll learn lots with them, and get some good advice before spending your money.
They'll also teach you other skills like bat surveying, or identifying bat species by their droppings etc. (But note you shouldn't go anywhere where there is a known roost without a license)

Peter

many thanks for your inputs everyone, Unfortunately I cant spend a lot of money on one, and may have to wait a bit longer. The advice is very helpful. All taken on board. I may well go for the bat 5,
B

michael23 said:

many thanks for your inputs everyone, Unfortunately I cant spend a lot of money on one, and may have to wait a bit longer. The advice is very helpful. All taken on board. I may well go for the bat 5,
B

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These detectors aren't expensive. The Baton is only about £70 and produces OK sonograms using the free Batscan software supplied. As detailed above, you'll need a recording device, though. A few years ago, when I was starting out, you wouldn't have got a Frequency Division detector for less than £200.