Birds of West Mersea
What has actually been seen around West Mersea: 214 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 214 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 29,545 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-headed Gull
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 15 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.7 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about West Mersea
214 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of West Mersea (Essex) since 2010, across 29,545 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 48% of records near West Mersea are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Common Redshank lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Woodpigeon is still the most logged garden bird.
17 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Eurasian Marsh-Harrier and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in January and are lowest in July — about 4.4 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.
Tollesbury, 6 km to the west, has fewer species on record (204 against 214). Birds logged far more often around West Mersea than there include Jay.
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 4:36 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near West Mersea
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 818 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 768 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 688 |
| 4 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 639 |
| 5 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 629 |
| 6 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 622 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 613 |
| 8 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 613 |
| 9 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 606 |
| 10 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 599 |
| 11 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 585 |
| 12 | BrantBranta bernicla | 562 |
| 13 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 560 |
| 14 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 532 |
| 15 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 502 |
| 16 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 480 |
| 17 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 440 |
| 18 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 435 |
| 19 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 431 |
| 20 | Eurasian Marsh-HarrierCircus aeruginosus | 424 |
Records by month
What to put out in West Mersea
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Blue Tit
Sunflower hearts · Peanuts (mesh feeder only) · Suet
- Pied Wagtail
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 West Mersea?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of West Mersea are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Starling and Blackbird, based on 29,545 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near West Mersea?
214 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in West Mersea?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:36.
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.