Birds of South Benfleet
What has actually been seen around South Benfleet: 207 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 207 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 48,414 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 10 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about South Benfleet
207 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of South Benfleet (Essex) since 2010, across 48,414 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Magpie.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near South Benfleet are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Black-headed Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull 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 and Eurasian Marsh-Harrier.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 4.1 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.
Hadleigh, 4 km to the east, has a similar number of species on record (205 against 207). Birds logged far more often around South Benfleet than there include Graylag Goose, Mute Swan, Common Pochard and Gadwall.
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 South Benfleet
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 4,202 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,117 |
| 3 | MagpiePica pica | 1,088 |
| 4 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,073 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,071 |
| 6 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 961 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 921 |
| 8 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 918 |
| 9 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 869 |
| 10 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 852 |
| 11 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 842 |
| 12 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 834 |
| 13 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 813 |
| 14 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 800 |
| 15 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 787 |
| 16 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 751 |
| 17 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 733 |
| 18 | Graylag GooseAnser anser | 724 |
| 19 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 713 |
| 20 | Cetti's WarblerCettia cetti | 705 |
Records by month
What to put out in South Benfleet
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 South Benfleet?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of South Benfleet are Woodpigeon, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Starling and Goldfinch, based on 48,414 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near South Benfleet?
207 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in South Benfleet?
Observation records peak in May 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.