Birds of Thorpe le Soken
What has actually been seen around Thorpe le Soken: 134 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 134 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,972 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 24 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Thorpe le Soken
134 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Thorpe le Soken (Essex) since 2010, across 2,972 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Blackbird and Robin.
Thorpe le Soken 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. Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin and Blue Tit make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel 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 April and are lowest in September — about 4.8 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.
Little Clacton, 4 km to the south-west, has more species on record (141 against 134).
Daylight runs from 16 h 43 min at midsummer to 7 h 46 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:00 in mid-April and 4:35 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Thorpe le Soken
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 184 |
| 2 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 135 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 128 |
| 4 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 120 |
| 5 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 110 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 105 |
| 7 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 95 |
| 8 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 82 |
| 9 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 82 |
| 10 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 79 |
| 11 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 79 |
| 12 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 78 |
| 13 | Great TitParus major | 78 |
| 14 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 70 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 69 |
| 16 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 66 |
| 17 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 64 |
| 18 | MagpiePica pica | 63 |
| 19 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 63 |
| 20 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 61 |
Records by month
What to put out in Thorpe le Soken
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 Thorpe le Soken?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Thorpe le Soken are Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tit and Goldfinch, based on 2,972 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Thorpe le Soken?
134 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Thorpe le Soken?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in September. Sunrise in late June is around 4:35.
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.