With over 1000 participants from all fields of acoustics the conference was a melting pot of ideas for the applications of acoustics from bioacoustics to biomedical studies and optimisation of musical instruments and room acoustics.

Back in 2007, the Bat Conservation Trust published the first edition of ‘Bat Surveys: Good Practice Guidelines’, with the aim to provide some clarity on the different types of survey and survey effort needed to provide appropriate information for ecological assessments. Since 2007, new developments in equipment, methods, and legislation have meant that revision of the bat survey guidelines is needed.

Researchers from from the New England Aquarium in Boston, Massachusetts, USA have recently completed a study that links high levels of low frequency vessel noise to increased levels of stress hormone in one species of large whale.

It was covered by the BBC last week.

Having become the UK's acknowledged experts in the use of the Wildlife Acoustics’ SM2 range of full spectrum recorders, Baker Consultants Ltd has been commissioned by the manufacturer to provide field support to their UK users.

Paul reports on his trip to the Mammal Society Conference in Bangor. He attended talks on Dormice, badger mitigation and brown hares among other creatures and had a great group for his SM2 workshop. Read the full story here.

In a very short period of time the SM2BAT from Wildlife Acoustics has become recognised as an industry-standard remote bat detector and is widely used by consultants, universities and researchers.

Superior field equipment that records more calls brings with it the challenge of larger volumes of data to analyse.

Baker Consultants is now able to offer a full data processing service to assist in the analysis of bat survey field recordings. Using our library of bat call ‘recognisers’ our experienced bat ecologists can provide a cost-effective, independent analysis of SM2 recordings.

SM2BAT COURSE DATES FOR 2011/12

Thursday 3rd November 2011

Thursday 16th February 2012

Thursday 15th March 2012

WILDLIFE ACOUSTICS ANNOUNCES THE ECHO METER EM3 ULTRASONIC DETECTOR AND RECORDER

At the UK National Bat Conference last week, Wildlife Acoustics announced a new hand-held bat detector and recorder. As you would expect there was great excitement in the Baker Consultants office and Paul couldn't wait to get his hands on one.

Paul said: "It's a unique piece of kit, finally we have access to something that not only captures and records bat calls, but also shows the calls in real-time as they come in on the screen."

Indeed, a cheap football gag, but also a serious issue for those of us who care where Paul Howden-Leach will be appearing next on the Autumn round of conferences and workshops.

Andrew Baker (Director) and Paul Howden-Leach are off to visit Wildlife Acoustics this week in their home of Concord, Massachusetts.