Birds of Ashover
What has actually been seen around Ashover: 196 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 196 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 24,997 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 189 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Ashover
196 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ashover (Derbyshire) since 2010, across 24,997 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Mallard and Blackbird.
Water shapes this list. 42% of records near Ashover are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Eurasian Coot 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.
13 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 April and are lowest in October — about 3.2 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.
Wingerworth, 5 km to the north-east, has fewer species on record (140 against 196). Birds logged far more often around Ashover than there include Great Crested Grebe, Graylag Goose, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Goldeneye.
Daylight runs from 16 h 58 min at midsummer to 7 h 32 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ashover
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 730 |
| 2 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 719 |
| 3 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 717 |
| 4 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 715 |
| 5 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 692 |
| 6 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 661 |
| 7 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 626 |
| 8 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 621 |
| 9 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 611 |
| 10 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 572 |
| 11 | Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus | 553 |
| 12 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 549 |
| 13 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 537 |
| 14 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 536 |
| 15 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 498 |
| 16 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 472 |
| 17 | Great TitParus major | 469 |
| 18 | MagpiePica pica | 465 |
| 19 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 462 |
| 20 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 450 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ashover
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Derbyshire
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 Ashover?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ashover are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Carrion Crow and Blue Tit, based on 24,997 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ashover?
196 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ashover?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:38.
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.