Birds of Ford End
What has actually been seen around Ford End: 102 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 102 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 3,242 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Blue Tit
- Busiest month
- June
- Elevation
- 66 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Ford End
102 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Ford End (Essex) since 2010, across 3,242 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Blue Tit, Robin and Great Tit.
Ford End is a garden-bird place: 70% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blue Tit, Robin, Great Tit and Woodpigeon make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Common Kestrel. 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 June and are lowest in December — 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.
Great Waltham, 4 km to the south-east, has more species on record (136 against 102). Birds logged far more often around Ford End than there include Common Kingfisher, Nuthatch and Treecreeper.
Daylight runs from 16 h 42 min at midsummer to 7 h 46 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Ford End
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 184 |
| 2 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 167 |
| 3 | Great TitParus major | 160 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 151 |
| 5 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 150 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 130 |
| 7 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 127 |
| 8 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 110 |
| 9 | MagpiePica pica | 106 |
| 10 | Gray HeronArdea cinerea | 85 |
| 11 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 84 |
| 12 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 84 |
| 13 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 84 |
| 14 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 75 |
| 15 | JayGarrulus glandarius | 70 |
| 16 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 70 |
| 17 | ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita | 68 |
| 18 | Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis | 64 |
| 19 | Little GrebeTachybaptus ruficollis | 61 |
| 20 | NuthatchSitta europaea | 57 |
Records by month
What to put out in Ford End
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Essex
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 Ford End?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Ford End are Blue Tit, Robin, Great Tit, Woodpigeon and Blackbird, based on 3,242 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Ford End?
102 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Ford End?
Observation records peak in June and are lowest in December. 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.