Birds of Clacton-on-Sea

199 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Clacton-on-Sea (Essex) since 2010, across 10,318 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Starling.

The records split between garden birds (56%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in Clacton-on-Sea sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Starling and Robin, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.

14 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard 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 September and are lowest in July — about 5.9 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.

Little Clacton, 4 km to the north, has fewer species on record (141 against 199). Birds logged far more often around Clacton-on-Sea than there include Great Cormorant, Northern Lapwing, Eurasian Teal and Eurasian Wigeon.

Daylight runs from 16 h 42 min at midsummer to 7 h 47 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:01 in mid-April and 4:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.

• Woodpigeon

  Seed mix

• Starling

  Suet · Mealworms

• Robin

  Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts

• Blackbird

  Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms

• Blue Tit

  Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet

• House Sparrow

  Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet

• Little Clacton4 km north · 141 species
• Saint Osyth5 km west · 200 species
• Thorpe le Soken7 km north · 134 species
• Brightlingsea9 km west · 223 species
• Great Bentley10 km north-west · 134 species
• Walton-on-the-Naze10 km north-east · 204 species