Birds of Bethersden
What has actually been seen around Bethersden: 72 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 72 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 584 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 35 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Bethersden
72 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Bethersden (Kent) since 2010, across 584 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Lesser Black-backed Gull, Blue Tit and Robin.
Bethersden is a garden-bird place: 67% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Blue Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon and Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
6 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Buzzard, Common Kestrel and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. 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 May and are lowest in December — about 7.5 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.
High Halden, 4 km to the south-west, has more species on record (101 against 72).
Daylight runs from 16 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:03 in mid-April and 4:41 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bethersden
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus | 102 |
| 2 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 25 |
| 3 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 25 |
| 4 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 25 |
| 5 | MagpiePica pica | 21 |
| 6 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 18 |
| 7 | Common NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos | 18 |
| 8 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 17 |
| 9 | Great TitParus major | 17 |
| 10 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 16 |
| 11 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 15 |
| 12 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 15 |
| 13 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 15 |
| 14 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 15 |
| 15 | Common BuzzardButeo buteo | 13 |
| 16 | Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus | 12 |
| 17 | Great Spotted WoodpeckerDendrocopos major | 10 |
| 18 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 10 |
| 19 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 10 |
| 20 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 10 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bethersden
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
Seasonal bird notes for Kent
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 Bethersden?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Bethersden are Blue Tit, Robin, Woodpigeon, Magpie and Blackbird, based on 584 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bethersden?
72 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bethersden?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. 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.