Birds of Dalston
What has actually been seen around Dalston: 114 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 114 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,757 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Blackbird
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 45 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.2 h
What the records say about Dalston
114 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Dalston (Cumbria) since 2010, across 2,757 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Blackbird, Woodpigeon and Jackdaw.
Dalston is a garden-bird place: 65% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw and Blue Tit make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 May and are lowest in September — about 6.9 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.
Thursby, 4 km to the west, has a similar number of species on record (117 against 114). Birds logged far more often around Dalston than there include Common Merganser.
Daylight runs from 17 h 20 min at midsummer to 7 h 12 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:11 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Dalston
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 165 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 129 |
| 3 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 107 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 99 |
| 5 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 93 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 91 |
| 7 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 82 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 82 |
| 9 | SwiftApus apus | 76 |
| 10 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 75 |
| 11 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 73 |
| 12 | Great TitParus major | 71 |
| 13 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 68 |
| 14 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 66 |
| 15 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 65 |
| 16 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 60 |
| 17 | MagpiePica pica | 58 |
| 18 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 52 |
| 19 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 49 |
| 20 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 46 |
Records by month
What to put out in Dalston
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Cumbria
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 Dalston?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Dalston are Blackbird, Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Blue Tit and Robin, based on 2,757 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Dalston?
114 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Dalston?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:33.
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.