About

With over 40 years’ experience as a birdwatcher Mike’s knowledge of birds around Torbay is unparalleled. He leads walks for Naturetrek, Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust & Sharpham Trust (usually during the spring and Summer).

The walks & cruises vary from general natural history walks to walks concentrating on particular bird groups, species or other wildlife; most cater for birdwatchers of any ability. Places are always limited – booking is essential.

For more information or to book places go the events pages and scroll through the months at:

Mikes Wildlife Walks:  https://mikelangman.co.uk/walks/ 

Mikes Wildlife Cruises:  https://mikelangman.co.uk/guided-cruises/ 

THE ARTIST

Mike worked for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) at their headquarters in Bedfordshire, for 9 years after he left Middlesex art College in 1983. His bird illustrations can be seen on nearly every RSPB reserve, his paintings are used as identification cards, also several large murals in information centres and hides as well as the RSPB website. His work is versatile as can be seen on the various pages of this website.

A full time bird illustrator since 1992 Mike has, to date, work published in 85 books (shown on the Published Work page) having worked for many publishers, organisations, his work regularly appears in the all of the UK’s birdwatching magazines.

The RSPB publish his work in most of their quarterly ‘Home for Nature’ magazines, and their A-Z of Birds website has hundreds of his illustrations. His interpretation work for nature centres’ information boards can be found all over Britain and in Europe. Interactive CDs and DVDs published by Bird Guides also feature some of his work.

An avid birdwatcher from the age of 10 Mike enjoys birdwatching his local area especially Berry Head in Devon. Some of his lively field notes on some of the more interesting birds he has found or seen can be seen on this website.

THE BIRD GUIDE

Mikes uses his extensive knowledge of birds in and around South Devon to lead walks for small groups and take individuals out for full day or morning birding. He has discovered several new species for Devon, Pacific Diver, Caspian Gull, Iberian Chiffchaff, Siberian Stonechat and one new species for Britain Yelkouan Shearwater which lingered off Berry Head. He started a popular Cirl Bunting winter feeding station at Broadsands in 1998 which he still maintains. In 2014 he found the first breeding Firecrests in Devon and he still regularly monitors this rapidly increasing population.

Mike leads foreign bird tours for Wise Birding. His birdwatching walks and days out usually include all sorts of natural history and can be geared to specific requirements of an individual or small group.

THE VOLUNTEER

He contributes work as voluntary art editor for the Devon Birds his home county bird society for which he served on the records committee in 1994-1996 then bird recorder (1996-2002) and again from 2008-2010. He is passionate about the bird life and natural areas in Torbay. His knowledge of the bay bird life is regular sought by local organisations and helped set up a voluntary winter no fishing net zone at Broadsands following liaison with local fishermen and Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust. He is also Chairman of friends of Clennon Lakes – a pocket conservation area in Paignton which he watches regularly.