Birds of Vernham Dean
What has actually been seen around Vernham Dean: 84 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 84 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 2,566 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- March
- Elevation
- 131 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Vernham Dean
84 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Vernham Dean (Hampshire) since 2010, across 2,566 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Marsh Tit and Blue Tit.
Vernham Dean is a garden-bird place: 75% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch and Great Tit make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
8 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Red Kite and Tawny Owl. 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 March and are lowest in October — about 94.5 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.
Hurstbourne Tarrant, 5 km to the south-east, has a similar number of species on record (83 against 84). Birds logged far more often around Vernham Dean than there include Willow Tit and Tawny Owl.
Daylight runs from 16 h 36 min at midsummer to 7 h 52 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 in mid-April and 4:49 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Vernham Dean
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 219 |
| 2 | Marsh TitPoecile palustris | 100 |
| 3 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 100 |
| 4 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 95 |
| 5 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 94 |
| 6 | NuthatchSitta europaea | 90 |
| 7 | Great TitParus major | 89 |
| 8 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 88 |
| 9 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 85 |
| 10 | Red KiteMilvus milvus | 84 |
| 11 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 76 |
| 12 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 74 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 74 |
| 14 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 66 |
| 15 | Coal TitPeriparus ater | 66 |
| 16 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 66 |
| 17 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 65 |
| 18 | Willow TitPoecile montanus | 60 |
| 19 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 60 |
| 20 | Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major | 58 |
Records by month
What to put out in Vernham Dean
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Hampshire
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 Vernham Dean?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Vernham Dean are Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Great Tit and Woodpigeon, based on 2,566 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Vernham Dean?
84 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Vernham Dean?
Observation records peak in March and are lowest in October. Sunrise in late June is around 4:49.
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.