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Mike Langman

@clennonvalley.bsky.social
548 followers 240 following 160 posts

Bird illustrator, Birder mostly Devon, birdwatching guide, wildlife bird tour leader, keen seawatcher.

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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 16/10/2026
It’s hardly moved from those same trees on the opposite bank to the path in 3 days now. I didn’t find it a lady that walks the lakes regularly and using Merlin texted me asking if it we’re possible there was a YBW there after Merlin picked it up - I said yes - but would check it!- bingo!
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Shiphay Birder @shiphaybirder.bsky.social · 16/10/2026
Clennon Valley Lakes, Paignton, S Devon. 16.00-17.00. Nice to chat to @clennonvalley.bsky.social and see his #YellowBrowedWarbler very briefly on two occasions, as it became elusive at Lake 2. Some calling. Thanks to Mike P. #UKBirding #DevonBirds @rarebirder.bsky.social @birdguides.bsky.social
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 12/10/2026
Berry Head brief seawatch: 1100+ Kittiwakes (just 16 juveniles) 7 Arctic Skuas, 1 Little Gull, 3 Common Scoter, 4 Med Gulls. Around Headland 1 grounded Woodlark, Crossbill & siskin over 20 Chiffchaff, 4 Firecrest, 3 Blackcap and this Blackbouzle or Blackbirzle! Female Blackbird aka ouzel!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
A Yellow-browed Warbler Berry Head. Migrants around headland: 10 Firecrest, 1 Goldcrest, 12 Chiffchaffs, 4 Blackcaps, 8 Swallows, 2 Skylark, 3 Song Thrush, 11 Blackbirds. Turtle Dove was still in fields along Gillard Road, quite tricky sometimes.
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Bill Coulson @devonshirenature.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Gannets in huge numbers in a feeding frenzy off the South Devon Coast. Also involved were Common Dolphins, plus a few Manx and Balearic Shearwaters. Photographed from Kelly's Hero on a pelagic trip out of Brixham led by Mike Langman.
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Bill Coulson @devonshirenature.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Some of the birds from yesterday's pelagic led by Mike Langman on Kelly's Hero out of Brixham. Arctic Skua looking for Kittiwakes to harass. Manx Shearwater Yellow-legged Gull Juvenile Gannet
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Bill Coulson @devonshirenature.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Some great birds seen on the River Dart from the African Queen Dartmouth on a trip led by Mike Langman. Osprey, a juvenile, resting in a dead tree. Peregrine Falcons, female and male, at the mouth of the river. Kingfishers, several seen, this one a male.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
I think a bit of lighting burn out has eliminated the normal dark wedge in the white under primary patch.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
The hybrid Med x Black-h Gull was back again at #Broadsands #Torbay this am. Typical plumage traits of the few I've recorded over the years. The last 3-4 years undoubtedly the same individual the main difference to when it first arrived is the black dot on P9 is much smaller now.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
I’m almost reluctant to say Roy - But yes, about 30!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Thanks Roy - a cracking shot of the Manxie - shame the few Balearics didn’t come close on Saturday.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Broadsands #Torbay was interesting on 2 Sept with a Little Gull + this hybrid Mediterranean x Black-headed Gull - picked out as it was dip feeding with 40+ Blk-h Gulls off the beach by its white underwings and b/w tipped primaries otherwise close to Blk-h Gull!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Berry Head seawatch with Bill Macdonald and Mark Bailey 06.45-9am: 2 Egyptian Geesse (!), 1 Sabines Gull juv, 2 Little gulls, 1 Black Tern, 1 Sooty Shearwater, 102 Balearic & 107 Manx Shearwaters, 2 ArcTerns, 521 ComTerns, 7 SandwichTerns, 18 Arctic Skuas, 1 Whimbrel, 200+ Gannets, 6 Fulmar, 2000+
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Absolutely and on seawatches we sometimes struggle to id juv skuas - resting kittiwake flocks are straight up off the water with Arctic Skua a long way off but stay when a juv Long-tailed come through!!
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Bill Coulson @devonshirenature.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Shearwaters seen from Kelly's Hero on a pelagic trip led by Mike Langman out of Brixham. 1. Sooty Shearwater 2. Balearic Shearwater 3 + 4. Manx Shearwater
Sooty ShearwaterBalearic ShearwaterManx ShearwaterManx Shearwater
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Bill Coulson @devonshirenature.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Excellent pelagic trip today, led by Mike Langman, who spotted three Great Skuas on the sea. We were on board Kelly's Hero out of Brixham. Bonxies as they are known, have been heavily depleted by avian flu and are much rarer than they were a few years ago.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Yes good obs - always look up when birds turn their heads on side - nearly always a bird of prey up there somewhere!!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
A wonderful cruise out into Lyme Bay yesterday @KellysheroDavid : 1 Sooty, 130+ Balearic, 600+ Manx Shearwaters, Little Gull, 3 Bonxies, 3-4 Arctic Skuas, 4 Yellow-legged Gulls, rafting Common Terns many Com Dolphins, 5+ Harbour Porpoise. bonxie pic from Bill Coulson
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Bill Coulson @devonshirenature.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
I think this Risso's Dolphin is a young one. It has caught an Octopus which is intent on not being eaten. It dived and we didn't see the final outcome but it probably didn't end well for the Octopus. Risso's have no top teeth and only a few lower ones so they swallow their prey whole!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Yet again this morning @BerryHead, the Risso's & 300+ Common Dolphin and 2 Harbour Porpoise. Fantastic to see a large pod of Common Dolphins speeding along .110+ Balearic Shearwaters rafting and feeding with 550+ Manx Shearwaters plus many Kittiwakes and Gannets.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
The reviews of the Mk5 with various software and focus options are great but it costs a lot!!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
Perhaps back to two species then - or perhaps not!! it's still useful to submit and for BBRC to document 'Yelkouan' Shearwaters in British waters.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
It's difficult to get shots of flying Dragonflies with a bridge (super-zoom) camera but with my RX10 4 I did eventually get a few crisp shots of this Migrant Hawker at Clennon Lakes #Torbay
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
the Risso's Dolphins were again just off Berry Head this morning at least 8 plus 70-80 Common Dolphins, 80+ Balearic Shearwaters and 130+ Manx Shearwaters.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
120+ Common Dolphins and 8 Risso's Dolphins off Berry Head this morning. Also several rafts (approx 100 in total) of what appeared to be virtually all Balearic Shearwaters although there were some Manx and more Balearic Shearwaters flying in the area too
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Loads of feeding going on this morning hundreds of mostly Herring Gulls over a huge area .
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Berry Head Seawatch this morning for just 1hr 6.45-7.45am, best birds: 2 Bonxies, 1 Arctic Skua, 66 Balearic (including a raft of 47) & 71 Manx Shearwaters, 68 Comic Terns, 33 Sandwich Terns, 1200+ Kittiwakes, 3 juv YL Gulls, 270+ Gannets. 50 Common Dolphin, 2 Harbour Porpoise.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Juvenile Yellow-legged Gulls have been a bit thin on the ground this summer around the #Torbay Beaches this one at #Goodrinton this morning was good to see.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I’m sure a few trips out of Plymouth would be even more productive for WSP. The shark fishing boats doing birding trips would be ideal fusing their chum to.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Checking on the small kittiwake colony, looks like 2 of the chicks have fledged since 17Jul with 4 chicks left. One Kittiwake juvenile with adults alongside just off #BerryHead & the same or another juv was seen nearby. So confirmation of fledging for the first time at Berry Head since mid 1980s.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
About 5 miles NE of Start point
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
About 5 miles NE of Start point
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
one of my own cruises from Brixham on Kelly’s Hero 08.30am – 2.30pm highlights: 1 Wilson’s Storm Petrel, 5-6 European Storm Petrels, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls juvs, hundred ++ Common Dolphins, Sunfish, Manx Shearwaters, 50+ Mediterranean Gulls, Sandwich Terns, Common Tern
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Yes, over the last few weeks we’ve seen couple pairs egg laying on all three lakes!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
Well done on the flight shots of the Lesser Emperor
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Checking today on the very precious #BerryHead kittiwake chicks the upper 3 nests with 4 chicks are virtually ready to fledge - a lot of flapping in nearly full wings. The lower nest with 2 chicks are at least 1 week behind.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
At least 4x Kittiwakes nests still have young @ Berry Head. 6 young 4 well developed about a week away from fledging and 1 nest with 2x quite small still downy young. Successful fledging at Berry Head has not been documented since the 1980's!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
5-6 chicks still on kittiwake nests at #BerryHead #Devon if they get to fledge it will be the first to do so on site for over 20 years!! Keeping my fingers crossed- but from 30+ nests this year still very poor productivity.
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John Walters @johnwalterswildife.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
I am giving a talk on the Birds of Devon this evening 7 pm (17 June 2026) at the Quince Honey Farm, South Tawton, Devon including Dartmoor Cuckoo chicks with their Meadow Pipit foster parents. quincehoneyfarm.co.uk/experience/e...
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John Walters @johnwalterswildife.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Coots Fulica atra feeding their young at Clennon Valley Lakes, Paignton, Devon yesterday plus a very unusual family - a pair of Coots with a Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula duckling! Not sure what has happened here but fascinating to watch. Thanks @clennonvalley.bsky.social
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Several counts of species close to my Berry Head totals but a bit of variation in species - some not making as far as BH just 4 miles away and others not drifting far enough N as HN’s before heading south. I see there’s been more Stormies this pm at BH.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Great seawatch at #BerryHead #Devon 0545-1025hrs Highlights: 1 ad Sabine’s Gull, 1 Little Gull, 1 Little Tern, 2-3 E Storm Petrels, 878 Manxies, 3 GN Divers, 6 Puffins, 120+ Kittiwakes including 44 1st Summers, 1 Yellow Wagtail. Lots of Octopus being caught by crabbing boat.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
I’m sure the pre-roost and post-roost rafts of GND’s in the evenings and mornings make counting easier. When they are busy feeding we must miss a lot of underwater birds.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
My best effort on the Black-throated Diver off Brixham Breakwater found the day before by @seaskywatch.bsky.social still lots of Great Northern Divers too, flocks of 80+ Shags feeding out there with again flocks of Cormorants too the bay must be full of food.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Just incredible numbers of Great Northern Divers in Tor Bay after these storms!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 21/01/2026
That is a brilliant comparison shot Mark!!
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
I've just advertised my spring/summer and autumn guided wildlife cruises from Torbay and Kingswear/Dartmouth #Devon including the popular 6hr Lyme Bay pelagics - for details see: mikelangman.co.uk/guided-cruis... They book up quickly...
mikelangman.co.uk
Guided Cruises - Mike Langman Art
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
A sinensis 'continental' Cormorant at Stoke Gabriel Mill pond #Torbay this morning.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
The Yellow-browed Warbler at Broadsands #Torbay showed well from time to time in the 2nd car park - I assume it's the same bird that showed in the trees above the Cirl Bunting feeding station an hour later.
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Mike Langman @clennonvalley.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
At Broadsands #Torbay a Yellow-browed Warbler was in willows and scrub at the back of the 2nd car park near to the green skip, also in same place 2 Firecrest, 1 Goldcrest and a Chiffchaff.
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