Birds of Freshwater
What has actually been seen around Freshwater: 225 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 225 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 36,260 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-headed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 12 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 8 h
What the records say about Freshwater
225 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Freshwater (Isle of Wight) since 2010, across 36,260 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Little Egret.
Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Freshwater are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Black-headed Gull, European Herring Gull and Little Egret 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 and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in July — about 1.7 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.
Yarmouth, 3 km to the north-east, has more species on record (259 against 225).
Daylight runs from 16 h 30 min at midsummer to 7 h 58 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:13 in mid-April and 4:52 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Freshwater
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 1,020 |
| 2 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 948 |
| 3 | Little EgretEgretta garzetta | 845 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 763 |
| 5 | Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus | 762 |
| 6 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 744 |
| 7 | Common RedshankTringa totanus | 738 |
| 8 | Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata | 726 |
| 9 | Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo | 686 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 673 |
| 11 | Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna | 643 |
| 12 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 629 |
| 13 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 628 |
| 14 | Mute SwanCygnus olor | 618 |
| 15 | Black-tailed GodwitLimosa limosa | 616 |
| 16 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 580 |
| 17 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 569 |
| 18 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 555 |
| 19 | MagpiePica pica | 535 |
| 20 | Eurasian TealAnas crecca | 509 |
Records by month
What to put out in Freshwater
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Pied Wagtail
Mealworms
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Goldfinch
Nyjer seed · Sunflower hearts
Seasonal bird notes for Isle of Wight
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 Freshwater?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Freshwater are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Robin and Magpie, based on 36,260 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Freshwater?
225 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Freshwater?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:52.
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.