Mike Langman - Field Sketches
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 Yellow-Browed Warbler Clennon Valley, Devon November 2005 |
 Pallas’s Warbler Berry Head, Devon November 2005 |
As a keen birdwatcher Mike combines his artistic skills with his birding, when the opportunity arises – usually when finding a rare or scarce bird he’ll quickly sketch the bird into a pocket A5 notebook. The colours are noted and added when he gets home with watercolour paints.
 Siberian Chiffchaff ‘Tristis’ Broadsands, Devon Jan 2008 |
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 Surf Scoter 1st winter male Broadsands, Devon Dec 2007 |
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 Leach’s Petrel Berry Head, Devon Nov 2007
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 Long-billed Murrelet Dawlish, Devon Nov 2006
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Dusky Warbler, moulting to summer plumage Clennon Valley, Devon 24 April 2004
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American Robin Godrevy, Cornwall 18 Dec 2003
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Hoopoe Berry Head, Devon 19 April 2004
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 Serins - two Females Berry Head, Devon 2006
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 Fea’s Petrel Berry Head, Devon 17 July 2001. For a seawatcher on his local patch it doesn't get much better than this!
Red-flanked Bluetail Berry Head October 2005
Yelkouan Shearwater notes from Bulgaria September 2003
Many birds were in active wing moult showing tatty trailing edge to flight feathers and often with distinct pale greater covert bars due to feather loss? The contrast between the trailing edge and coverts of the underwing was not nearly as strong as Manx and the underwing was cleaner than Balearic. Most did not show dark untertail coverts.
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Today all of Mikes field notes are not redrawn but for years Mike would meticulously transfer the drawings from the sketch books into a yearly birding book. This started in his early birdwatching days (Late 1970’s) when the field guides were woefully inadequate and even common plumages for example the bright yellow juvenile plumage of Willow Warbler where not shown in the fieldguides of the day. His sketches made sure Mike looked in detail at any bird that took his interest and undoubtedly increased his knowledge and understanding of the identification of those birds. Many of Britain’s best birders are avid note takers – whether in sketch or written form. In recent years photography has taken over from the notebook, it certainly has its place but there is still a need for high quality note taking.
These are some of the pages from Mikes yearly notebooks dating back to 1979:
Aug 78 -Jan 1979 colours not found in Field Guides of the day!
Nov 1979 Got the 'adult' Little Stint wrong, and took a day of school for the Greater Sandplover.
Aug-Oct 1979 two trips to Scilly and a new bird at Dawlish Warren.
Jan-Dec 1979 the Lapland Bunting got my heart pumping most - a new bird and I found it!
Dec 1981 Christmas holiday from College - a nice present waited for me!
Oct 1984 Scilly
Nov1985 Pagham and Westleton
Aug 1987 - some good Devon birds
Sept - Oct 1987 Wells Wood Yellow-browed Warbler and Scilly Vireos and Firecrest.
Oct 1987 A seawatch off Torquay after the 87 hurricane!
Nov 1989 a day out in Norfolk
June 1991 a two day trip to Lundy
Oct 1991 Just some of the great birds on Scilly, a 1st w Northern Wheatear was included - compare it to the Isabelline seen a few days later.
1992 Yellow-breasted Bunting, Holme, Norfolk
More to come!!!
just added Sept 2008...
September 1992 Yellow-breasted Bunting, Holme Norflok
September -Oct 1987 Vireo's Scilly
Yelkouan Shearwater Notes
Bulgaria 2003
Blast from the past
find them by scrolling down the main page
November 1985
Nutcracker and Sora
1979
Rose-breasted Grosbeak and Belted
Kingfisher
June 1991
Ancient Murrelet