Book Review: 'Is That A Bat?' by Neil Middleton
'Is That a Bat?' is a book which intrigued me since I first learned of it (probably while pursuing books on the NHBS site).
Okay, I decided to just simply google: is that a bat by Neil Middleton
Exactly as it reads above, with no capitalization, and no question mark, just to see what would happen. The 1st link listed is of the same title, from 'goodreads' where it states "5/5" (Rating).
Below that, is the link to the publisher Pelagicpublishing.com And below that, is the link to the book on amazon.
Some details:
The complete title of the book is: Is That A Bat? A Guide to Non-Bat Sounds Encountered During Bat Surveys
It is available in paperback, or e-book (electronic) format. It was published on January 6, 2020. It is 288 pages in length, with 257 figures (illustrations), and 36 tables.
It features 7 chapters: 3 appendices, a glossary, references, and an index.
It measures 234 x 156mm and weighs 650 grams.
I may be getting a little ahead of myself here, but this is how the table of contents reads:
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
The Sound Library
1. Well, what on earth could it be?
2. Terrestrial mammals
3. Birds
4. Amphibians
5. Insects
6. Electronic and mechanical
7. Weather, people and other nuisances
Appendix 1 Supporting figures and tables
Appendix 2 Problem solving
Appendix 3 Additional resources
Glossary
References
Index
The price varies a bit depending on where you order from, and especially which format you choose; but NHBS currently has the paperback, in stock and available for only £34.99
This book would be quite suitable for a range of readers: Anyone from a hobbyist or citizen scientist, all the way up to professional bat workers and researchers - There is something of interest for anyone who works with bat detectors.
...Now, once I got myself (an electronic) copy, and started to look through it - Wow! I realised straight away that this review might not be so quick and easy:
Not only is there a lot of great info packed into this book; but when you buy a copy, you get access to on online sound library! (via the publishers site). I had no idea, and was pleasantly surprised by this.
Several of the first sounds & spectrograms, are presented in a quiz/self-test format. This thoughtful inclusion helps make this book a real learning experience.
The next thing that dawned on me, was this book would also be excellent for those involved in wildlife sound recording in general. Definitely a nice cross reference, which is also pleasant to read. As I continued reading, I found myself thinking about getting my own recording equipment out...I eventually did in fact!
When visiting the dealers websites, you will commonly see some sample pages of the book made available, as a preview. The Author uses graphs, and other useful illustrations. As well as some very useful spectrograms & screenshots of various recordings. These were made using Pettersson's BatSound software (from Pettersson Elektronik).
I found the illustrations to be lovely.
What I liked:
• A very thorough book!
• Well written, and put together in a logical progression.
• Along with it's online sound library, it is reminiscent of having a course in wildlife sound recording.
I enjoyed 'Chapter 5 Insects', the order orthoptera was discussed (which includes crickets, katydids, and grasshoppers). As a long time fan of singing insects, I liked the included oscillograms & spectrograms. As well as the concise facts shared about each species mentioned.
This treatment is repeated when the subject of amphibians is covered, as well as: Small and large terrestrial mammals, birds, and rodents. To a lesser extent (for obvious reasons) even 'Electronic and Mechanical' sounds are touched on in Chapter 6. Very interesting stuff!
I was also happy to see the appendices (neat stuff), and suggestions for further reading. In Appendix 3 for instance, the Author shares some very neat websites.
Considering the wide range of acoustic subjects covered: mainly the animals which are also recorded while one is focusing on bats - This book would be great for anyone venturing into the field - both figuratively and literally!
Without a doubt, anyone who intends to record bats in their natural environment, would do well with a copy of this book. You may also be interested, in seeing the assortment of books dealing with bats, currently offered by Pelagic Publishing here.
Until next time (when we'll be discussing bat detectors),
Happy bat detecting!
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