Birds of Hadleigh
What has actually been seen around Hadleigh: 205 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 205 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 31,461 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 74 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Hadleigh
205 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Hadleigh (Essex) since 2010, across 31,461 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Hadleigh are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Little Egret lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel.
Records peak in January and are lowest in February — about 2.0 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.
South Benfleet, 4 km to the west, has a similar number of species on record (207 against 205). Birds logged far more often around Hadleigh than there include Brant, Black-bellied Plover and Ruddy Turnstone.
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 49 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:39 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Hadleigh
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 5,454 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,111 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 1,055 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,054 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 916 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 816 |
| 7 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 734 |
| 8 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 668 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 653 |
| 10 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 589 |
| 11 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 586 |
| 12 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 532 |
| 13 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 504 |
| 14 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 504 |
| 15 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 499 |
| 16 | SwiftApus apus | 498 |
| 17 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 483 |
| 18 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 473 |
| 19 | Great TitParus major | 466 |
| 20 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 455 |
Records by month
What to put out in Hadleigh
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
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 Hadleigh?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Hadleigh are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Robin and Starling, based on 31,461 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Hadleigh?
205 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Hadleigh?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:39.
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.