Birds of Marston Moretaine
What has actually been seen around Marston Moretaine: 178 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 178 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 29,014 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 44 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Marston Moretaine
178 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Marston Moretaine (Central Bedfordshire) since 2010, across 29,014 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Robin.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Marston Moretaine are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, Eurasian Coot and Mallard lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red Kite, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in April and are lowest in July — about 3.7 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.
Cranfield, 4 km to the west, has fewer species on record (152 against 178). Birds logged far more often around Marston Moretaine than there include Eurasian Oystercatcher and Egyptian Goose.
Daylight runs from 16 h 45 min at midsummer to 7 h 44 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Marston Moretaine
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 3,313 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,109 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 985 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 900 |
| 5 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 859 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 815 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 802 |
| 8 | Great TitParus major | 761 |
| 9 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 658 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 626 |
| 11 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 617 |
| 12 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 571 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 565 |
| 14 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 563 |
| 15 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 558 |
| 16 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 527 |
| 17 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 510 |
| 18 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 493 |
| 19 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 485 |
| 20 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 476 |
Records by month
What to put out in Marston Moretaine
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Central Bedfordshire
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 Marston Moretaine?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Marston Moretaine are Woodpigeon, Robin, Carrion Crow, Blue Tit and Blackbird, based on 29,014 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Marston Moretaine?
178 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Marston Moretaine?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:41.
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.