Birds of Sandwich
What has actually been seen around Sandwich: 278 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 278 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 120,828 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Woodpigeon
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 3 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Sandwich
278 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Sandwich (Kent) since 2010, across 120,828 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and European Herring Gull.
The records split between garden birds (56%) and waterbirds (35%), so a feeder in Sandwich sees the familiar Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow and Magpie, while European Herring Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
21 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel and Common Buzzard.
Records peak in May and are lowest in July — about 3.3 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.
Eastry, 4 km to the south-west, has fewer species on record (233 against 278). Birds logged far more often around Sandwich than there include Eurasian Curlew.
Daylight runs from 16 h 36 min at midsummer to 7 h 52 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:01 in mid-April and 4:38 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Sandwich
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 3,102 |
| 2 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 2,948 |
| 3 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 2,841 |
| 4 | MagpiePica pica | 2,700 |
| 5 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 2,516 |
| 6 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 2,497 |
| 7 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 2,464 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,370 |
| 9 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 2,352 |
| 10 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 2,259 |
| 11 | Common MoorhenGallinula chloropus | 2,218 |
| 12 | Eurasian CootFulica atra | 2,143 |
| 13 | Common KestrelFalco tinnunculus | 2,038 |
| 14 | Northern LapwingVanellus vanellus | 2,011 |
| 15 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 2,005 |
| 16 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 2,000 |
| 17 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,996 |
| 18 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 1,994 |
| 19 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,969 |
| 20 | RookCorvus frugilegus | 1,946 |
Records by month
What to put out in Sandwich
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
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 Sandwich?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Sandwich are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, Magpie, Starling and Jackdaw, based on 120,828 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Sandwich?
278 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Sandwich?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 4:38.
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.