Birds of Waterbeach
What has actually been seen around Waterbeach: 194 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 194 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 39,522 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 10 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Waterbeach
194 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Waterbeach (Cambridgeshire) since 2010, across 39,522 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 47% of records near Waterbeach are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Mallard and Black-headed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Red Kite.
Records peak in January and are lowest in November — about 3.1 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.
Cottenham, 5 km to the north-west, has more species on record (201 against 194). Birds logged far more often around Waterbeach than there include Great Crested Grebe and Common Kingfisher.
Daylight runs from 16 h 47 min at midsummer to 7 h 42 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 Waterbeach
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 6,501 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,131 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 990 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 939 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 931 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 916 |
| 7 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 887 |
| 8 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 826 |
| 9 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 823 |
| 10 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 821 |
| 11 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 796 |
| 12 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 734 |
| 13 | Great TitParus major | 693 |
| 14 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 657 |
| 15 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 642 |
| 16 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 641 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 633 |
| 18 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 588 |
| 19 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 546 |
| 20 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 521 |
Records by month
What to put out in Waterbeach
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 Waterbeach?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Waterbeach are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Robin, Blackbird and Blue Tit, based on 39,522 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Waterbeach?
194 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Waterbeach?
Observation records peak in January 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.