Birds of Icklesham
What has actually been seen around Icklesham: 227 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 227 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 39,824 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Mallard
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 52 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Icklesham
227 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Icklesham (East Sussex) since 2010, across 39,824 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, European Herring Gull and Black-headed Gull.
Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Icklesham are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, European Herring Gull 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.
17 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Eurasian Marsh-Harrier, Common Buzzard and Common Kestrel.
Records peak in January and are lowest in November — about 2.8 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.
Winchelsea Beach, 4 km to the east, has more species on record (254 against 227).
Daylight runs from 16 h 32 min at midsummer to 7 h 56 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:04 in mid-April and 4:42 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Icklesham
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,005 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 970 |
| 3 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 959 |
| 4 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 918 |
| 5 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 836 |
| 6 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 835 |
| 7 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 829 |
| 8 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 769 |
| 9 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 762 |
| 10 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 756 |
| 11 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 756 |
| 12 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 752 |
| 13 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 741 |
| 14 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 732 |
| 15 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 679 |
| 16 | Tufted DuckAythya fuligula | 677 |
| 17 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 657 |
| 18 | Eurasian Marsh-HarrierCircus aeruginosus | 646 |
| 19 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 641 |
| 20 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 601 |
Records by month
What to put out in Icklesham
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for East Sussex
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 Icklesham?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Icklesham are Woodpigeon, Jackdaw, Carrion Crow, Rook and Starling, based on 39,824 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Icklesham?
227 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Icklesham?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:42.
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.