Birds of Thamesmead
What has actually been seen around Thamesmead: 204 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 204 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 41,778 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 4 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.8 h
What the records say about Thamesmead
204 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Thamesmead (Greater London) since 2010, across 41,778 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Water shapes this list. 43% of records near Thamesmead are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Lesser Black-backed Gull, European Herring Gull and Black-headed 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.
Records peak in May and are lowest in October — about 2.4 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.
Barking, 4 km to the north-west, has more species on record (223 against 204). Birds logged far more often around Thamesmead than there include Common Shelduck, Cetti's Warbler, Eurasian Oystercatcher and Common Redshank.
Daylight runs from 16 h 39 min at midsummer to 7 h 50 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Thamesmead
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 1,316 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,286 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,279 |
| 4 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 1,250 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 1,250 |
| 6 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,220 |
| 7 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 1,013 |
| 8 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,007 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,001 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 991 |
| 11 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 955 |
| 12 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 921 |
| 13 | Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri | 905 |
| 14 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 821 |
| 15 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 814 |
| 16 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 797 |
| 17 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 789 |
| 18 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 784 |
| 19 | Great TitParus major | 757 |
| 20 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 720 |
Records by month
What to put out in Thamesmead
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Greater London
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 Thamesmead?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Thamesmead are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Rock Pigeon and Starling, based on 41,778 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Thamesmead?
204 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Thamesmead?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:41.
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.