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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 3d

It's true, bats are simultaneously cute and FULL-ON BADASS!! Let's hope this doesn't trigger some batlash, peregrines do this sort of thing half a dozen times a day and are much loved

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

Grisly recording reveals bat catching, killing and eating robin mid-flight

Before the Spanish study, some scientists had been sceptical about the mammals attacking migratory birds

www.theguardian.com

Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 3d

That's nothing. Wait until your phone autocompletes "Great" to "Greasy" and you don't notice - Olympic champion levels of embarrassment.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 6d

Griff the USB microphone finally got his own device page (like a product page but he isn't a product), linked from the QR code on the revised Griff Mini PCB : www.pippyg.com/griff.html

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 6d

I’m too old and too male to be in the Rainbows, but as a result of some volunteering / educational outreach we did a couple of weeks ago on behalf of the @wiltsbatgroup.bsky.social I am now the very proud owner of a Rainbows “Bat activity” patch. It is deeply excellent.

A sew-on patch featuring one large bat and several small ones in front of a full moon.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 7d

Great day out at @nationaltrust.org.uk Lacock this week. Sunshine, apple trees heavy with fruit and Mistletoe, and the remarkable volunteer Naomi using forensic science skills to preserve historic floor tiles. Plus a DAZZLING early colour (Devin Tricolor) photo exhibition.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 8d

Kestrel keeping a wary eye on us this afternoon. Eventually it ran out of power poles and shot off.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 8d

I really hope that isn't an AI-generated image, because it certainly looks that way.

Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 9d

He takes dick to a whole new level.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 9d

Ooh ooh ooh - TK Maxx in Swindon, a single pair of the most PERFECT wireless headphones for folks to use with Bat Detector on their iPhone. So anyone in the @wiltsbatgroup.bsky.social needs to get a move on to secure them - I left them REALLY visible :)

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 15d

Or if you are already onboard with bats, do engage with your local Guides / Brownies / Rainbows to do bat educational outreach. We put on an event for 28 Rainbows (girls aged 4-7) on the outskirts of Swindon yesterday, a truly great time was had by all, and much learning was done.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 16d

There's now an Android option for iPhone-deprived people who want to go bat detecting with a Griff : play.google.com/store/apps/d...

Thank John Mears for this, not me. And don't contact me with Android problems, I have never in my life used an Android device, so I will be of zero help to you.

BatGizmo - Apps on Google Play

BatGizmo is an app for displaying spectrograms of bat calls.

play.google.com

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 17d

A trip to Buscot Park yesterday, where they now allow photography in all rooms. I skipped snapping the Rembrandt - and it is a GOOD Rembrandt! - and made straight for the immense Briar Rose sequence by Burne-Jones, the most exquisite immersive art installation you ever saw. Photos by iPhone 16e.

I forgot to breath looking at these. It’s a bit of a religious experience.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 19d

The revised user manual for Bat Detector - 2.4, the next release - has a new final page with a plea for decency from folks who enjoy using high-quaility, free software with zero profit motive. The app is free and has no nag screen, it tries to be as nice to you as possible, so please be nice back.

Final page of the Bat Detector user manual with a plea for positive reviews on the App Store

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 20d

No, I have no clue how to write Android software. But there is a solution on its way very soon, Bat Gizmo by John Mears, it's in private beta right now.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 20d

Bat Detector 2.3 is now live on the App Store, featuring simultaneous saving of wavs and sonogram JPGs for rapid visual scanning of recordings taken on a bat walk. Grab it here : apps.apple.com/gb/app/bat-d...

‎Bat Detector

‎Simply connect an inexpensive ultrasonic USB microphone to your iPhone or iPad and open your ears up to the extraordinary world of bat acoustics. Build a dedicated USB microphone for under £10 : ht...

apps.apple.com

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 21d

My iPad Air 3rd gen was just updated to iOS 26 - I have to for software dev reasons - and it has been reduced to sub-glacial pace. Progress, eh? Poor thing was dead snappy and now it permanently limps.

Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 21d

First 2 birds in the garden today - Goldcrest then Sparrowhawk.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 22d

I'd love to see Ed running the country with Roz in the cabinet.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 22d

The entire 5 second wav is converted to a JPG so you don't miss anything, it takes about zero time to create the JPG and is a huge win, so I strongly recommend turning the feature on via

Settings -> Bat Detector -> "Create Sonograms in WAV folder"

Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 22d

Bat Detector v2.3 build 17 live on TestFlight. It creates sonograms as it captures wavs, so you can do a rapid visual scan of your recordings folder to see where the interesting stuff happened. Great for spotting Horseshoes that you missed due to noisy pips and crickets :) Images are from the app.

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 23d

TestFlight link for bugfix candidate of Bat Detector version 2.3 build 10 : testflight.apple.com/join/M5R8kipW

Join the Bat Detector beta

Available on iOS

testflight.apple.com

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Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 23d

WARNING FOR USERS OF BAT DETECTOR ON IPHONE AND IPAD.

The just-released iOS 26 has broken Bat Detector. There's a fix coming real soon, will be on TestFlight today, in the store ASAP. If you are affected by the change, please pick up version 2.3 build 10 from TestFlight, incoming in about an hour.

Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 29d

You spelled "F*ck off" very badly indeed.

Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 29d

We absolutely MUST come and watch your team. And also partake in some of the half time vegan food :)

Phil Atkin @ramoneskaraoke.bsky.social · 29d

And by way of illustration, 2 Serotines filmed last year with simultaneous heterodyned and time expanded audio. This in a church yard surrounded by trees, lots of pipistrelles overhead as well but the Serotines were most exciting.

youtu.be/1J5-5vGPa_0?...

Two Serotine Bats, audio and sonograms captured by Bat Detector

YouTube video by Phil Atkin

youtu.be