gumdrop Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) I was asked what I wanted for my birthday, I said a Bat detector, suddenly those little flitting shadows had a voice, whats more, with a little practice you can tell one type of bat from another (there are around 17 species of bat in the west country) I joined a bat group (Avon Bat Group) and learned more I even got to handle them (after training) and spent a few years rescuing them when they needed it. I sit around with my wine nowadays and listen to them on most of the camp sites I have been on, the early ones that you can see up with the Swallows and Swifts as the sun sets the smaller ones just after sunset and the Horseshoe bats about an hour later. We have just come back from a few days on a CL near Frome, our corner pitch had nearly a dozen Pipistrelle bats entertaining us as they fltted and fed for almost half an hour. So how many of us have bat detectors? or intend to get one? Some Bat folklore http://www. bedsbatgroup. org. uk/wordpress/?page_id=574#box Edited July 25, 2014 by gumdrop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audio2 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Just a word of caution because of possible rabies risk if handling bats. http://www. bats. org. uk/pages/-bats_and_rabies-1099. html Bailey Unicorn Valencia S2 & BMW E61 530i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravon42 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 Are you changing from GUMDROP to BATMAN?? 2011 Land Rover Freelander 2, Lago grey 2013 Freelander Dynamic Black, followed by a 2013 Elddis 574 Magnum GT white Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted July 25, 2014 Author Share Posted July 25, 2014 Just a word of caution because of possible rabies risk if handling bats. http://www. bats. org. uk/pages/-bats_and_rabies-1099. html As a bat worker I get a vaccination and would not be allowed to handle bats without. The incidence of "rabies" is not very great, we wear gloves as this is protection enough bats teeth are very small in most cases (you only see them because they open their mouths to echolocate, it is not a threat posture) Are you changing from GUMDROP to BATMAN?? No, I am certainly more of a sweetie than a bat man :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lefthand Down Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 I have a Magenta Bat5 and it has been very successful on various CL's we have visited. Ford C-Max and Coachman Festival 380/2 SE 2006 Motto Carpe Diem Still trying to find the perfect pitch. ..110 amp Battery+ 65 watt roof mounted Solar and 25 watt Wind Turbine. LED lighting. Status Aerial 315. Loose chattels marked with UV,. Safefill Gas Fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravon42 Posted July 25, 2014 Share Posted July 25, 2014 (edited) Excuse my ignorance,chaps, but what is the interest in bats? It is obviously a hobby of yours. Out of interest is there anywhere on google I can read up on these mystical creatures? Edited July 25, 2014 by gravon42 2011 Land Rover Freelander 2, Lago grey 2013 Freelander Dynamic Black, followed by a 2013 Elddis 574 Magnum GT white Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 This is my favourite bat group website http://www. warksbats. co. uk/?path=~/aboutus/home. aspx and this is useful http://www. bio. bris. ac. uk/research/bats/britishbats/ there are websites with sound samples. Best book The Bats of Europe and North America The Bat Detective, a well written booklet and sound CD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JdDerek Posted July 26, 2014 Share Posted July 26, 2014 Must admit we have been fascinated by the bats at a couple of sites we have stayed at. The last site had the biggest bats. Sorry I can't tell one from the other but they were about the size of Starlings. We found a nice opening in the woods and stayed there for an hour watching them, a couple of times they made contact by clipping the top of our heads. We would have stayed longer but lost the light to see them so can't wait to return there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 That is one of those moments when the bats "see" something new and fly around echolocating to build up a picture of what it is, in this case You! I have taken people on bat walks and the childrens faces when this happens and they can hear the bats "voices" they just light up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted July 26, 2014 Author Share Posted July 26, 2014 Anyone interested can find a brilliant wildlife gallery here http://www. wildaboutbritain. co. uk/forums/index. php and I forgot to mention http://www. bats. org. uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravon42 Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 JdDerek. ..................... it's Honks brother!! 2011 Land Rover Freelander 2, Lago grey 2013 Freelander Dynamic Black, followed by a 2013 Elddis 574 Magnum GT white Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffordshirechina Posted July 28, 2014 Share Posted July 28, 2014 I quite often see bats hanging about when I am working. Once you get your eye in, it is surprising how many there are in some underground places. They are quite fussy though and sites must be not too draughty or too wet or too dry etc, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted July 29, 2014 Author Share Posted July 29, 2014 I quite often see bats hanging about when I am working. Once you get your eye in, it is surprising how many there are in some underground places. They are quite fussy though and sites must be not too draughty or too wet or too dry etc, etc. You are very lucky to see them, just bear in mind that from October on they will be looking for somewhere to hibernate (torpor) any disturbance, lights even your body heat can disturb this sleep and cause them to use precious stored energy to wake fully and move about. http://www. bats. org. uk/pages/a_year_in_the_life_of_a_bat. html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
staffordshirechina Posted August 1, 2014 Share Posted August 1, 2014 They are quite common in old mines, we find them often. We do not disturb them. Over the years we have made a lot of money fitting bat grills to mine entrances! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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