How Many of You have BAT Detectors now?

[nightshade]

I suddenly thought,how many people had bat detectors for christmas ?
nobody posted their joyous news, so I am asking Who has gained a bat detector ?

[Fourwings]

Wanted one - dropped hints large enough to break toes - but no detector - moral of the story - go buy one for yourself I guess!

[Jonny]

I do not have one, but would like one. I feel a bit left out when I go to a bat watch meet. I did read somewhere recently where you can make your own, can't remember where though..................Jon

[henrya]

Didn't get one for Christmas, but I have three already (though one doesn't work for some reason)! I think Magenta still sell a kit to make your own.

henrya

[nightshade]

Hi Jon,Magenta do a kit www.magenta2000.co.uk
general info the warwickshire bat group,www.jwaller.co.uk
www.econvergence.net (a frequency division type)not as sensitive as native detectors
www.batbox.com
www.http.//bertriksikken.nl/ a build your ownsite
www.alanaecology.com stock, petterson, batbox, magenta,
I like my magenta but usually carry the smaller petterson I use a Belfry just to indicate that there are bats about

[nightshade]

Jon just a few thoughts the Bat Workers Manual may be useful to you in your line of work,it is available online in pdf format to download or to buy
The book and CD the bat detective is excellent
The magenta has a good speaker for several peoople to be able to listen to at the same time

[Jo Pedder]

I got a magenta 2b for my birthday before christmas in October, but didn't manage to get out with it properly and only managed to pick up one bat before hibernation from my back garden (which had bats going over every night before I got the detector).

[Jo Pedder]

I've also signed up with my local Bat Group, and hope to go out surveying most weeks from March to October at a range of interesting sites - one of the surveys is at Whipsnade zoo, so I'll be able to walk about the zoo after hours, surveying bats with the roar of lions in the background!

[nightshade]

jo pedder hello, I had not thought of my local zoo,so I am glad you replied
The bat group I belong to seems to be losing ground after a change in leadership so I could end up clubless

[Fourwings]

Nightshade - do you know anyone using the Magenta mk III?, looks quite good.

[Jonny]

Originally Posted by nightshade

Hi Jon,Magenta do a kit www.magenta2000.co.uk
general info the warwickshire bat group,www.jwaller.co.uk
www.econvergence.net (a frequency division type)not as sensitive as native detectors
www.batbox.com
www.http.//bertriksikken.nl/ a build your ownsite
www.alanaecology.com stock, petterson, batbox, magenta,
I like my magenta but usually carry the smaller petterson I use a Belfry just to indicate that there are bats about

Thanks for that Nightshade, I will have a look. I do have a booklet that the bat people gave me when I found the wiskered bat. It is mainly roofers who come across bats, I have only found them a couple of times since I started working for myself in 1997.................Jon

[nightshade]

Hello Fourwings My Brother in law has one,he rates it highly but I have not had time to try it myself I will post just as soon as I have(the 2B I have is very good)

[Fourwings]

My mother-in-law has the 2b, but I find it hard to see the frequency dial. The quartz frequency display on the MKIII looks a really good idea as does the mylar cone waterproof loudpeaker.
I'll be really interested to hear what you think of it.

[Jo Pedder]

Originally Posted by nightshade

jo pedder hello, I had not thought of my local zoo,so I am glad you replied
The bat group I belong to seems to be losing ground after a change in leadership so I could end up clubless

The Whipsnade survey is being organised by the curator of plants, who is also in charge of landscaping the park and grounds. He is really in to bats and between the zoo and the group have installed four hibernacula on the site in the last two years: http://www.batsinbeds.org/projects/whipsnade1.html

The aim of these surveys is to get a good baseline of commuting and foraging routes, so that planting, grazing etc can be managed to increase bat habitat connectivity within the park and across the park

Hope you don’t loose your group, which is it? Perhaps you could recruit from neighbouring groups by holding joint projects - I know that beds work with groups from Cambridge and Bucks on Barbastelle tracking schemes.