Birds of Wemyss Bay
What has actually been seen around Wemyss Bay: 100 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 100 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 1,011 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- July
- Elevation
- 10 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.6 h / 7 h
What the records say about Wemyss Bay
100 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Wemyss Bay (Inverclyde) since 2010, across 1,011 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Common Eider and Jackdaw.
Water shapes this list. 54% of records near Wemyss Bay are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — European Herring Gull, Common Eider and European Shag lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Jackdaw is still the most logged garden bird.
Records peak in July and are lowest in December — about 11.0 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.
Inverkip, 4 km to the north, has more species on record (113 against 100).
Daylight runs from 17 h 36 min at midsummer to 6 h 59 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:16 in mid-April and 4:33 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Wemyss Bay
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 107 |
| 2 | Common EiderSomateria mollissima | 83 |
| 3 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 40 |
| 4 | European ShagPhalacrocorax aristotelis | 39 |
| 5 | Black GuillemotCepphus grylle | 37 |
| 6 | Pied WagtailMotacilla alba | 31 |
| 7 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 27 |
| 8 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 27 |
| 9 | Common GullLarus canus | 25 |
| 10 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 23 |
| 11 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 23 |
| 12 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 23 |
| 13 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 22 |
| 14 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 21 |
| 15 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 21 |
| 16 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 21 |
| 17 | MagpiePica pica | 21 |
| 18 | Northern GannetMorus bassanus | 19 |
| 19 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 19 |
| 20 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 18 |
Records by month
What to put out in Wemyss Bay
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for Inverclyde
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 Wemyss Bay?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Wemyss Bay are Jackdaw, Pied Wagtail, Woodpigeon, Rock Pigeon and Carrion Crow, based on 1,011 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Wemyss Bay?
100 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Wemyss Bay?
Observation records peak in July and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 4:33.
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.