Birds of Saint Bees
What has actually been seen around Saint Bees: 151 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 151 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 6,367 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 19 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.3 h / 7.3 h
What the records say about Saint Bees
151 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Saint Bees (Cumbria) since 2010, across 6,367 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Great Cormorant and Jackdaw.
The records split between garden birds (58%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in Saint Bees sees the familiar Jackdaw, Common Linnet and Carrion Crow, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
12 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Peregrine Falcon.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 40.1 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.
Egremont, 4 km to the east, has fewer species on record (125 against 151). Birds logged far more often around Saint Bees than there include Common Murre, Common Linnet, Razorbill and Black-legged Kittiwake.
Daylight runs from 17 h 16 min at midsummer to 7 h 17 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:14 in mid-April and 4:37 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Saint Bees
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 346 |
| 2 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 259 |
| 3 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 250 |
| 4 | Common MurreUria aalge | 245 |
| 5 | Common LinnetLinaria cannabina | 204 |
| 6 | RazorbillAlca torda | 200 |
| 7 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 183 |
| 8 | Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla | 180 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 169 |
| 10 | Barn SwallowHirundo rustica | 153 |
| 11 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 152 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 149 |
| 13 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 146 |
| 14 | Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis | 141 |
| 15 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 141 |
| 16 | Eurasian Rock PipitAnthus petrosus | 139 |
| 17 | European StonechatSaxicola rubicola | 135 |
| 18 | Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis | 131 |
| 19 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 119 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 113 |
Records by month
What to put out in Saint Bees
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
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 Saint Bees?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Saint Bees are Jackdaw, Common Linnet, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow and Barn Swallow, based on 6,367 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Saint Bees?
151 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Saint Bees?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:37.
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.