Birds of Ellington
What has actually been seen around Ellington: 242 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 242 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 90,780 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- August
- Elevation
- 27 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Ellington
242 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ellington (Cambridgeshire) since 2010, across 90,780 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Mute Swan.
Water shapes this list. 51% of records near Ellington are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Mute Swan lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
19 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in August and are lowest in February — about 3.9 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and winter visitors), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.
Spaldwick, 3 km to the west, has fewer species on record (191 against 242). Birds logged far more often around Ellington than there include Black-headed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull, Great Black-backed Gull and Northern Shoveler.
Daylight runs from 16 h 48 min at midsummer to 7 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ellington
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 3,391 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,036 |
| 3 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 2,002 |
| 4 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 1,874 |
| 5 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 1,857 |
| 6 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,854 |
| 7 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,840 |
| 8 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 1,813 |
| 9 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 1,735 |
| 10 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,674 |
| 11 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 1,621 |
| 12 | GadwallMareca strepera | 1,538 |
| 13 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,507 |
| 14 | MagpiePica pica | 1,440 |
| 15 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,439 |
| 16 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 1,409 |
| 17 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,383 |
| 18 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,302 |
| 19 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 1,278 |
| 20 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 1,249 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ellington
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Wren
Mealworms · Suet pellets
Seasonal bird notes for Cambridgeshire
What's arriving, what to feed and when to clean feeders, written for UK gardens. One email a month at most.
Nearby places
Frequently asked
What birds visit gardens in Ellington?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ellington are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Pied Wagtail, Robin and Magpie, based on 90,780 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ellington?
242 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ellington?
Observation records peak in August and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:38.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.