Birds of Stretham
What has actually been seen around Stretham: 186 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 186 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 34,471 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 8 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Stretham
186 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Stretham (Cambridgeshire) since 2010, across 34,471 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Stretham are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in April and are lowest in November — about 4.3 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.
Witchford, 5 km to the north, has fewer species on record (180 against 186). Birds logged far more often around Stretham than there include Lesser Black-backed Gull, Northern Lapwing, Gadwall and Tufted Duck.
Daylight runs from 16 h 48 min at midsummer to 7 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Stretham
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 4,720 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 743 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 720 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 707 |
| 5 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 678 |
| 6 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 645 |
| 7 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 639 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 622 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 614 |
| 10 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 614 |
| 11 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 604 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 604 |
| 13 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 594 |
| 14 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 562 |
| 15 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 561 |
| 16 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 532 |
| 17 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 530 |
| 18 | MagpiePica pica | 520 |
| 19 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 518 |
| 20 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 509 |
Records by month
What to put out in Stretham
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
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 Stretham?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Stretham are Woodpigeon, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Carrion Crow and Robin, based on 34,471 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Stretham?
186 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Stretham?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:36.
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.